LAUNCH: Dementia befriending project - Call to arms for community to join our volunteers!
NEW befriending for older adults living with dementia in the borough of Hammersmith & Fulham - and we invite YOU to join our vital initiative:
At The Creighton Centre, we are thrilled to share some exciting news:
The Challenge:
We have observed a sharp rise in demand for dementia befriending and in turn recognised a service gap. As rates of dementia rise, so too does the need for comprehensive and compassionate support systems. As a small local charity deeply rooted in our community, we have recognised the growing need for dedicated, compassionate befriending for older adults living with dementia. We are proud to announce the official launch of our new dementia support, an extension of our long-established Homeline befriending project, and to introduce our new Dementia Coordinator, Justyna Rafalik.
Our Action:
To address these community needs, The Creighton Centre sought funding for a three-year programme awarded by the Mercers Company [started Autumn 2024]. This funding has allowed us to recruit and welcome our brand-new Dementia Coordinator who will be driving our planned dementia support as follows:
Over the next 3 years The Creighton will expand additional home and community support, providing a ‘Circle of Care’ for older people living with dementia.
1. For Home-Bound Adults Living with Dementia:
visits to those who are largely home-bound or in need of support to access the community. We aim for these visits to provide meaningful connections, as well as stimulate and enhance people’s quality of life. Bespoke activities may include photo reminiscing, gardening activities, reading and/or hand massages. Part of this support will also focus on encouraging outdoor movement and connection with nature, fundamental aspects of emotional well-being.
We will ensure that our befriending volunteers receive specialised training, developed and delivered by the Dementia Coordinator and tailored to the unique needs of individuals with dementia. Once developed, we will leverage our experiences and share our home befriender training with other befriending organisations locally, sharing best practice. We hope this offer will help to spread support further afield, enabling a local “army” of dementia home befrienders in the years to come.
In addition, we will be working with local training providers to share resources and offer ongoing learning opportunities.
2. For Those Visiting The Creighton Centre:
We plan to expand inclusive and dementia-friendly activities, in line with current scientific research and to compliment other local offers. Nutrition workshops and Line-dancing have already begun and in the coming year we plan to develop a local lives reminiscence club, music therapy and community gardening activities, helping to create an inclusive and friendly space for all. The Community Centre will work closely with the local Dementia Hub, offering a safe environment for interaction, information, and resources.
We have also begun providing support for carers, already offering Admiral Nurse (dementia specialist) clinics at The Creighton Centre, ensuring that carers are aware of specialised guidance on offer.
3. Additional support:
We will train our existing safe & well telephone volunteers to be dementia-aware, to support the delivery of our safe & well telephone service, which helps people to stay connected to their community and offers emergency staff intervention where required.
In addition, we are ensuring all our staff, reception volunteers and all Community Centre users are offered a range of dementia awareness training to further the great work already done to spread awareness in LBHF.
Diagnosis support:
In Hammersmith and Fulham, diagnostic rates for dementia remain below average, leaving many individuals without the necessary support to enhance their quality of life. The Creighton Centre is positioned to improving awareness, facilitating timely memory clinic assessments, and ultimately working to support diagnosis in the borough. We look forward to working with the local dementia health care services to support our community better.
Conclusion:
This project will provide connection for many, and by working with the community and local services, we envision a future where every older person living with dementia can find companionship and empowerment.
We invite you to join us in this vital initiative. Your support, whether through volunteering, sharing resources or by simply spreading the word, can have a lasting impact on the lives of individuals living with dementia in our community.
Please contact Justyna Rafalik or our Homeline team on jrafalik@creightoncentre.org / homeline@creightoncentre.org if you would like to volunteer, find support for a loved one or simply find out more.