Home Instead South Lakes Celebrates Andrea Blude’s Dementia-Friendly Community Award Nomination
Home Instead South Lakes is incredibly proud to celebrate Andrea Blude, who has been nominated for the Dementia-Friendly Community Award in recognition of her dedication to raising dementia awareness and creating more inclusive communities across Cumbria.
With around 8,000 people living with dementia in Cumbria, the need for greater awareness, understanding and support continues to grow. At Home Instead South Lakes, we believe that people living with dementia should feel understood, valued and included, not only in their own homes but also in the communities they know and love.
For the past four years, Andrea has played an instrumental role in helping to make this vision a reality.
Creating a more dementia-friendly community
The journey began with annual Dementia Awareness Days, welcoming around 100 people each year to learn more about dementia, access valuable information and experience the Virtual Dementia Tour Bus. These events provided an opportunity to start important conversations, challenge misconceptions and help people better understand the experiences of those living with dementia.
Since then, the initiative has continued to grow. Andrea has helped expand dementia awareness through free sessions for families and carers, enhanced specialist dementia training for Home Instead Care Professionals and bespoke awareness sessions for local businesses, solicitors and community groups.
The aim has always been to take dementia awareness beyond the care environment and into everyday community life.
A partnership making a difference with Booths
One of Andrea’s most significant achievements has been developing a partnership with local retailer Booths. Following 18 months of development, the two organisations came together through their shared family values and commitment to supporting local communities.
Together, they created specialist dementia awareness training tailored specifically to the retail environment, helping Booths colleagues better understand dementia and how it can affect customers when they are out shopping.
Working alongside Home Instead’s Dementia Champion, Shaun, an experienced Care Professional, Andrea delivers bespoke training sessions that help colleagues recognise the signs of dementia, communicate with confidence and offer compassionate support when it matters most.
This practical approach is helping to make everyday experiences, such as a trip to the supermarket, more comfortable and accessible for people living with dementia and their families.
Making a lasting difference across Cumbria
The impact of this work extends far beyond individual training sessions. Booths colleagues have reported increased confidence in supporting customers living with dementia, while the Home Instead team takes great pride in seeing greater awareness and understanding develop within the wider community.
For someone living with dementia, a familiar shopping trip can sometimes become overwhelming or confusing. Having staff who understand their needs, offer reassurance and show patience can make a significant difference, helping people maintain their independence and confidence.
What began as a local awareness initiative has developed into a meaningful partnership that is helping to reduce stigma, encourage understanding and create positive change.
Celebrating Andrea’s dedication
Andrea’s nomination for the Dementia-Friendly Community Award recognises the passion, commitment and collaboration that have helped bring this work to life.
At Home Instead South Lakes, we are proud to be part of a community that is working together to ensure people living with dementia are recognised, respected and supported.
Dementia-friendly communities do not happen by accident. They are built through education, compassion and partnerships between organisations that share a common goal.
We are incredibly proud of Andrea and everything she continues to achieve in helping make Cumbria a more dementia-friendly place to live.
Find out more about how Home Instead South Lakes supports people living with dementia and their families, and how we can help you or someone you love continue to live well at home.