Shine A Light
”Shine A Light” is a café style meeting to support people with dementia and their carers. The name chosen is to indicate that there is help and hope for both the person with dementia and their carer. Building a support network and fellowship for carers is as equally important as the looking after people with dementia. The group provides an opportunity to meet, share experiences, support each other, engage in stimulating activities and get help finding further support.
- Updated:
- 6 February 2018
- Location:
- East of England
- Sectors:
- Voluntary
- Local Alliances:
- Newmarket Dementia Action Alliance
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?
”Shine A Light” is an outreach mission of All Saints Church in recognition of the number of people affected by dementia and the support required by carers, family and friends. Our aim is to support people living with dementia, to have a sense of belonging and being a valued part of family and community life.
In terms of the seven statements that form the National Dementia Declaration, Shine A Light aims to help the family carer find information about services that may help them, including statutory services; and bringing family carers together with others in a similar situation to share ideas, build friendships and reduce isolation.
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
Maintaining a sufficient number of volunteers to organise and run our café style meetings. Making sure that all volunteers have a good understanding of the issues surrounding people living with dementia by attending training. Helping volunteers not to make assumptions, for example asking easy to understand questions and waiting for reply, not causing emotional upset by arguing with the person. Using appropriate language such as people live with dementia, not suffering with dementia.
Community engagement, that is publicising Shine A Light meetings, to encourage person with dementia and their carer to attend.
2. Actions
-
Improve our understanding of Dementia
We will arrange for all staff/volunteers to be dementia aware to ensure greater understanding of the condition and how we can help. Additional training sessions will be held every 3-4 months on further support and awareness issues.
- Status:
- Being implemented
-
Work in partnership with Newmarket DAA
Shine A Light will work with the Newmarket Dementia Action Alliance to support Newmarket to become a dementia friendly community and encourage other organisations to attend Dementia Friends sessions and sign up to the Dementia Action Alliance.
- Status:
- Being implemented
-
Promoting dementia awareness
Members of Shine A Light will attend local events such as the Newmarket family fun day and Newmarket carnival; to provide information and to have collections for the Alzheimer’s Society. Also, as friends of Newmarket library, take periodic opportunities to display information in the library window.
- Status:
- Being implemented
-
Monthly dementia café meetings
On the 3rd Monday of each month, from 2pm to 4pm, at All Saints Church Newmarket, CB8 8ES. Publicised by posters, flyers and in local magazines such CB8. Also on various websites such as Suffolk info link, All Saints church and under the Alzheimer’s Society list of organisations offering help to carers and those living with dementia in Suffolk.
- Status:
- Being implemented