Ahead of its 16th annual ‘Time for a Cuppa’ fundraiser, charity Dementia UK has shared advice on how to make an event inclusive for people living with dementia.
Running between 1 – 8 May, hosting a Time for a Cuppa event is a way for families, friends, and neighbourhoods to come together and spend quality time with one another in order to help increase the number of dementia specialist Admiral Nurses. However, Dementia UK is stressing the importance of ensuring that fundraising events are inclusive of people living with dementia.
As dementia is a progressive condition, people living with dementia are likely to be at different stages of the condition and have different needs. Dementia UK has shared some advice on how to make a fundraising event inclusive for people living with dementia to help ensure everyone is able to enjoy the activity.
Tips for making an event dementia-inclusive:
- Try to avoid hosting an event in the late afternoon or evening when people living with dementia might be tired or are more likely to experience sundowning.
- Greet guests when they arrive at the event and explain what is happening in a clear and simple way.
- Put up clear signage, for example you could stick a picture of a toilet to the toilet door to help people find it more easily.
- Where possible, try to keep distractions in the room to a minimum and turn off the TV and radio.
- Use visual aids to help stimulate memories, if you’re hosting a Time for a Cuppa event you could look back over old photos whilst enjoying a cup of tea and a piece of cake.
- Have an alternative activity available if a person living with dementia doesn’t want to take part in the event.
Hannah Gardner, consultant Admiral Nurse for children and young people at Dementia UK, said: “Hosting dementia-inclusive events can be a great way to bring together people of all ages including care staff, families and children.
“If you’re planning on hosting a Time for a Cuppa event, try to incorporate some activities that everyone can enjoy whilst sitting down and having a cup of tea, for example arts and crafts or a board game like Snakes and Ladders.
“It’s important that the person living with dementia feels included in the fun, so it can help to focus on activities they can do and enjoy, rather than what they can’t.”
