Helping Hands Dementia Workshop
Jeremy Hunt visits Helping Hands dementia workshop
“Experts in home care.”
That’s how the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, described Helping Hands Guildford and Godalming last week when he attended a dementia workshop in Godalming, Surrey.
Founded in 1989, the host Helping Hands is the nation’s leading dementia home care provider that supports individuals in living independently in their own homes, with highly qualified carers helping to improve their quality of life.
With dementia currently affecting around 850,000 individuals in the UK, and with the figure set to rise to over 1 million people within 10 years, the workshop came at a good time for the town that was recently awarded ‘dementia-friendly’ status.
The workshop was a great occasion for families and carers who are directly affected by dementia, as well as anybody with an interest in a career as a dementia carer, with talks offering advice and information regarding the condition.
The Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of the town were keen to show their support by being present, with Helping Hands CEO Tim Lee also in attendance, describing the opportunity to host the unique workshop as an “absolute privilege”, adding his pleasure at being able to share the company’s knowledge and expertise with families.
“We’re also proud to have hosted it in a town like Godalming, which is really going places to help people with the condition enjoy what the town has to offer.”
The workshop featured a simulated dementia experience allowing participants the opportunity to learn, hands-on, how a person can be affected by the disease. This was accompanied by a raffle, with all proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Society, and prizes donated by local businesses and organisations.
This wasn’t the first time South West Surrey has been in the limelight regarding dementia awareness, with numerous public meetings and events held in the past, with Hunt himself making an appearance in Godalming in 2014.
Offering thorough training for their carers – including personal care and first aid training, along with learning how to establish familiar routines with clients – has helped Helping Hands become the expert in dementia home care throughout England and Wales. The success of, and publicity surrounding, this event has helped them show this.
For more information on the work of Helping Hands please click here.