Mrs Caroline Rathmell has asked me to highlight the work she is doing with charity to help dementia sufferers in our local area. I am happy to do so. The aim is to improve awareness of the needs of dementia sufferers in the wider community so businesses and public sector service providers can help them more. This can be found on their website, www.alzheimer’s.org.uk.TheAlzheimer’s Society provides information and literature to assist. Mrs Rathmell writes:
“I set up two town centre walks last October in Wokingham involving a total of nine people with dementia and their carers to assess the dementia friendliness of the town. Overall, their comments were quite positive. Some useful
comments were made about the variability of pavement surfaces, lack of public toilets and limited seating areas. Clearer signposting was recommended and some felt a couple of the pavements were too cluttered with ‘street furniture’. Plus a few comments were made about individual shops and premises. Alain Wilkes at WBC has seen the report and I will share it with Sarah Morgan when we meet this week.
You should hopefully see increased local media coverage on dementia over the next few months. And I’d be grateful if you could mention the local Wokingham Borough Dementia Action Alliance (DAA), dementia friendly communities scheme and the Dementia Friends training at any relevant forums you both attend.
Reminder: DAA launch event – Tuesday 20th May at 11 am, in The Methodist Church (Bradbury Centre). “
Mrs Rathmell can be contacted at caroline.rathmell@alzheimer’s.org.uk.