Dementia Action Week
It’s Dementia Action Week! Learn more about our Dementia Wellbeing East London service and join one of our volunteers, Catriona, as she leads a session with community member Shirley.
It’s Dementia Action Week! Each year, Alzheimer’s Society works with individuals and organisations across the UK to encourage people to act on dementia and raise awareness about the symptoms.
At St Joseph’s, our Dementia Wellbeing East London service provides person centred social and emotional support to people living with advanced dementia in Hackney, Tower Hamlets and City of London free of charge.
Our trained and supervised volunteers visit people to provide ten dementia wellbeing sessions wherever is best – in their own home, a nursing or care home or in hospital. The volunteers offer meaningful activities and sensory stimulation, embracing any individual or cultural needs or interests.
Meet Catriona and Shirley!
Join one of our volunteers, Catriona, as she leads a Dementia Wellbeing session with community member Shirley!
Over ten sessions, Catriona and Shirley developed a great connection. Catriona discovered Shirley was interested in art and was a very accomplished and self-taught artist, though she had only painted for her own pleasure. After developing a relationship with Catriona, Shirley was able to reconnect with her artistic talent. Catriona slowly introduced different creative mediums using clay then coloured pencils.
Shirley also had a love of dogs and was engrossed during a session where we brought a dog for her to draw. Staff and family commented that when drawing, Shirley was able to concentrate and engage in a way they had not witnessed for years.
Watch the video in full below!
Learn more
To find out more, please contact the Dementia Wellbeing East London Team on 020 8525 3165 or email dementiawellbeingeastlondon@stjh.org.uk
To make a referral please call the First Contact Team on 0300 30 30 400 or email stjosephs.firstcontact@nhs.net