Dementia

Touchstone’s BME Dementia Service Wins Alzheimer Europe’s Anti-Stigma Award

In October 2023, Touchstone’s Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Dementia Service received Alzheimer Europe’s Anti-Stigma Award. The award recognises an “outstanding initiative aimed at combating stigma and promoting a positive image of dementia and people living with dementia”. The team also presented their work during the Networking Dinner of the 33rd Alzheimer Europe Conference in Helsinki. Ripaljeet Kaur, the service’s manager, says: “We are so honoured to be recognised

2023-11-03T15:41:38+00:003rd November 2023|Blog, Dementia|

BME Dementia Service Shortlisted for Anti-Stigma Award 2023!

Our brilliant BME Dementia Service are really pleased to announce that our initiative has been shortlisted as one of three finalists and, as such, we will be presenting our initiative at the Alzheimer Europe Conference in Helsinki, Finland. The 2023 award call focused on projects, campaigns, films/videos or publications/books, which aim to address the stigma attached to dementia. In particular, it focused on initiatives and campaigns addressing the stigma

2023-09-12T13:28:09+01:0012th September 2023|Blog, Dementia, World Alzheimer's Month|

World Alzheimer’s Month blog: BME Dementia Service

September is World Alzheimer's month. To mark this month, and continue to raise awareness around Alzheimer's, dementia, and memory loss in BME communities, a member of our BME Dementia Service has put together a short blog around their experiences with the group. During the pandemic, in September 2020, I read an online article about a café group in Leeds for South Asian elders who had Dementia. Noting the name

2023-09-05T14:03:51+01:005th September 2023|Blog, Dementia, World Alzheimer's Month|

World Alzheimer’s Day: Touchstone’s BME Dementia Service and Support for BME People Living with Dementia

This World Alzheimers’ Month, Touchstone’s BME Dementia Service, in its 10th year, has some vital words on the importance of BME-specific support for those living with dementia and some advice on how to find support. This year marks the 10th year of Touchstone’s BME Dementia Service. As a part of marking this milestone, we featured on ITV Calendar in August to call for more funding for BME-specific support and

2022-09-21T10:20:33+01:0021st September 2022|Blog, Dementia, World Alzheimer's Month|

I’m Trans and My Dad Has Dementia

For World Alzheimer's Month, Touchstone's Co-production Lead for the Complex Rehabilitation Project, Tristan, has written a moving piece on his relationship with his Dad, who is living with dementia. My Dad has Dementia. He was about 53 years old when he was diagnosed, I was devastated. I felt like my world was ending, when in fact it was just changing. Drastically changing, but not ending. I was around 22,

2022-09-16T12:52:45+01:007th September 2022|Blog, Dementia, World Alzheimer's Month|

“There’s a Huge Gap in Services that Meet their Needs”: Touchstone’s BME Dementia Service Calls on ITV Calendar News

On Monday 8th August, Touchstone’s BME Dementia Service featured on ITV calendar news to call for more funding for BME-specific support and care for those living with dementia. Here is a summary of the report, with the full link below:   The segment includes clips from the service’s weekly Hamari Yaadain (Our Memories) support cafes for South Asian people living with dementia. The café runs in five South Asian languages,

2022-08-09T16:33:26+01:009th August 2022|Blog, Dementia, News|

My volunteering experience at Hamari Yaadain Dementia Café

Before coming to Touchstone, I was not unfamiliar with being around individuals living with dementia; my grandfather was diagnosed 5 years ago, and I have seen first-hand how his condition has progressed, and the effects this has had on him and other family members. While my grandparents are regular attendees of the group, I had no idea what to expect! However, I was pleasantly surprised… I was impressed with the

2020-04-17T11:54:03+01:0030th September 2019|Blog, Community, Dementia, Families, Volunteering|

More than a badge by Arfan Hanif

Colleagues may have noticed in our offices signage stating ‘Working to become Dementia Friendly’. Something seen across a number of organisations and businesses including on emergency service vehicles.  So what does it mean? Does it mean that staff in all organisations/employers who say they are ‘Working to become Dementia Friendly’ are competent to sensitively deal with service users with Dementia or their Carers or family members?  If it’s a NO

2019-05-25T08:15:33+01:0025th May 2019|Blog, Community, Dementia, Dementia Awareness Week|

My real life insight into dementia (part 2) by Abigail Henry

Hi. I’m back with (I’m sure) the highly anticipated part B of my musings about dementia. As promised below is a transcript of my interview with a person living with a parent with dementia. I hope you enjoy the read and even better if it changes the way you might view those with and those dealing with dementia, as it has done for me….oh and we also get to find

2019-05-24T09:12:12+01:0024th May 2019|Blog, Community, Dementia, Dementia Awareness Week, Families|

My real life insight into dementia (part 1) by Abigail Henry

I’m a cognitive behavioural therapist who joined the IAPT team at Touchstone this month and this is my first ever blog. I’ve chosen dementia as my first topic, quite simply because I was asked! :) Dementia is a term I understand but is not something which I’ve ever fully considered. I guess the way life is set-up means if we’re not dealing with things of immediate concern then there seems

2019-05-23T08:30:39+01:0023rd May 2019|Blog, Dementia, Dementia Awareness Week|