Widcombe Baptist Church
Widcombe Baptist Church is an evangelical church with membership of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC). The primary aims of the church are to promote the Christian faith both here and abroad, to help individuals to grow in their faith and to serve and respond to needs in the community.
- Updated:
- 18 April 2018
- Location:
- South West
- Sectors:
- Faith Groups
- Local Alliances:
- Bath & North East Somerset
1. Action Plan
1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?
Widcombe Baptist Church (WBC) welcomes people of all ages and, among them, there are a significant number of older people. Among the older people there are some who are living with dementia or are carers for those living with dementia. We want to be a 'church family" which means that we must accommodate all the different ages and we must continually seek to tap the potential and respond to the needs of all. This must also include those living with dementia.
Because this is a problem across most churches WBC seeks to work with others to pool knowledge and resources.
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
Widcombe Baptist Church has been helped by certain key individuals who have been open when diagnosed with dementia. This has alerted and educated many of us.
Our church culture is one that emphasises the reading, studying and preaching of the bible. Such emphases can make it difficult for any individual with impaired cognitive function and other developments that may be seen in dementia
Member website
http://www.widcombebaptistchurch.org2. Actions
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Improve the understanding of dementia within the church
Arrange Dementia Friends sessions with one by day and one in the evening to get better coverage. (We will be prepared to repeat these at intervals to widen the base of people who are Dementia Friends.)
- Status:
- Completed
-
Co-operate with other Christian faith organisations
There exists co-operation between churches in Bath on other issues and progress is being made on the shared challenges of an older population and, within it, an increased number of individuals living with dementia.
We plan to take an active role in these collaborations so that each church can work towards becoming Dementia Friendly and appropriate events (such as Dementia Friendly services) can be shared.
- Status:
- Being implemented
-
Create advocacy group
The church recognises the particular opportunities and challenges of an ageing population and, within that subgroup of the church family, many who are living with dementia or are carers for those living with dementia.
The brief for the Advocacy Group is to maintain and increase the awareness of the church leadership and the wider church family to the needs and potential of the Older People and those Living with Dementia. This is in recognition that those sections of the community can all to readily be neglected and marginalised.
- Status:
- Being implemented
2017 - First Quarter Update
A core of motivated individuals have been identified and have met once. Together the group is trying to influence the wider church community.
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Provide dementia friendly Songs of Praise
We are planning a daytime Songs of Praise aimed at Older People with special sensitivity toward those living with dementia.
It will be in co-operation with other church groups
- Status:
- Planning