Warwick District dementia support event a success

An event held to support those living dementia in the Warwick district has been heralded a success.
Pictured from left to right are Cllr Les Caborn, Warwickshire County Council, Tony Britton, Pam Britton Trust for Dementia, Cllr Pam Redford, Warwick District Council, Mr Gerald Calver, Mayors Consort, Cllr Heather Calver, Leamington Town Council and Town Mayor, and Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council.Pictured from left to right are Cllr Les Caborn, Warwickshire County Council, Tony Britton, Pam Britton Trust for Dementia, Cllr Pam Redford, Warwick District Council, Mr Gerald Calver, Mayors Consort, Cllr Heather Calver, Leamington Town Council and Town Mayor, and Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council.
Pictured from left to right are Cllr Les Caborn, Warwickshire County Council, Tony Britton, Pam Britton Trust for Dementia, Cllr Pam Redford, Warwick District Council, Mr Gerald Calver, Mayors Consort, Cllr Heather Calver, Leamington Town Council and Town Mayor, and Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council.

Over 65 people who were living with dementia, carers or family members attended and representatives from more than 20 different support organisations were also at the event.

The event took place on May 24 at the Dormer Place Conference Centre in Leamington during Dementia Action Week. It was organised by Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action in partnership with the Pam Britton Trust for Dementia, Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council.

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People living with dementia, carers and family members had an opportunity to share their ideas and experiences with others, engage with support organisations and participate in a range of activities and workshops.

One of the key aims of the event was to establish a dementia action network for Warwick District to further improve the support available to people living with dementia, carers and family members.

Opening the event, Councillor Les Caborn, Warwickshire County Council portfolio holder for adult social care and health said: “By 2020 around a fifth of people over 80 years of age will be living with dementia.

“Working across the sectors, but in particular with our Voluntary and Community Sector partners, we need to provide support and services to allow people to live well with dementia, to receive support following a diagnosis of dementia and to do everything they can to allow them to live in their homes, independently, for the longest time possible.”

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Also speaking at the event, Tony Britton from the Pam Britton Trust reflected on his own experiences of caring for his wife who lived with dementia. He said: “We need all of the agencies responsible for commissioning health services to take their focus on dementia up a level, to fully engage with those who have real experience of dementia care and to put the patient and carer at the centre of planning.

“This event is a step in the right direction, but there is much, much more to be done.”