Winchester care home, Tegfield House, has launched a new support group for relatives who want to gain a greater understanding of their loved ones who are living with dementia.
The two-hour session gave families a chance to talk, listen and share experiences. All attendees have something in common – they have a relation living at Tegfield House, who is also living with dementia. The gatherings allow conversations to reflect on emotive topics such as the changes we see as people get older.
The welcoming and family orientated Chilbolton Avenue care home hosted the first session recently with general manager Jo Aitken and deputy manager Jacqui Standing welcoming eight relatives in to the friendly setting.
Hartford Care brand director Jo Gavin attended the first meeting as a guest speaker. The group discussed the challenges that families face and how dementia can change the lives of individuals.
The support group was the idea of deputy manager Jacqui Standing. The compassionate and experienced team member joined the Hartford Care family as a senior care assistant in August 2013 and then accepted the role of deputy manager in November 2017.
She says: “I often speak to residents’ families who watch the behaviours of their loved ones change over time. They have questions and want to find ways to connect so they can still spend quality time together.
"Dementia is a difficult topic to understand so I approached a few families to tell them my idea and they agreed that it would be beneficial to meet. It’s all about creating understanding, empathy and awareness!”
