Dementia or simply old age? Colchester care homes to host advice free event

As part of a nationwide initiative, two care homes in Colchester are inviting local people to free dementia advice events.

On Tuesday 28th January, Care UK’s Silversprings, on Tenpenny Hill, and Tall Trees, on Oak Place, are inviting members of the community to special events as part of The Big Dementia Conversation.

The nationwide initiative has been designed to show people how to better understand common dementia symptoms and live well with the condition.   

While general awareness of the condition has improved, data from Care UK shows two thirds of people who have a relative living with dementia (62%) initially put their symptoms down to old age. Many Brits remain unaware of the ways older people can lead meaningful lives with the condition, prompting Care UK to relaunch its Big Dementia Conversation for the second year running. 

From 3pm-4.30pm, a Dementia Café will be held at Silversprings, providing an opportunity for attendees to meet other carers and share experiences over coffee and cake, while their loved one enjoys a fun activity. Silversprings’ dementia team will also be available to provide support on living well with dementia.

Over at Tall Trees, from 2pm-4pm, the home will be hosting a ‘Living Well with Dementia’ session, in which the expert care team will share insights into the benefits of meaningful activity and its award-winning approach to nutrition and dining to support people living with dementia. The home’s award-winning Head Chef, Johnathan Wiekamp, will be on hand to share samples of modified pureed dishes, and other complimentry refreshments will also be available.

In addition to the event, the Colchester community can also visit a newly launched online advice hub. The hub includes in-depth conversations with families of people living with dementia, as well as expert advice from Care UK’s dementia specialists to learn how to reduce the risks and symptoms of the condition.  

Joanne Rix, Home Manager at Silversprings, said: “Here at Silversprings, we strive to create a sense of belonging within the home and provide a positive impact on the local community by building support systems for our neighbours. 

“Events like our Dementia Café are perfect for meeting people going through similar experiences, while benefiting from expert advice from our team. 

“We’d like to invite everyone to join in the Big Dementia Conversation by attending our upcoming session – we’re looking forward to welcoming new faces and old friends for a chat over a cup of tea and slice of cake.”

Alice Banda, Home Manager at Tall Trees, said: “Since we first opened the doors to our care home, we’ve been committed to making Colchester a more dementia-friendly place.

“We understand it can be overwhelming, especially when a loved one is first diagnosed, but we’re here to help. That’s why we’re taking part in the Big Dementia Conversation; we want to give people the tools they need to support a loved one with the condition. 

“We are looking forward to welcoming local people to our ‘Living well with dementia’ event and helping to build a community-wide support network.”

To support people who may be experiencing symptoms of dementia or their loved ones, Care UK has set up a free helpline and advice hub. To find out more, please visit: careuk.com/bigdementiaconversation

Silversprings and Tall Trees are state-of-the-art care homes, designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The homes offer a range of services, including residential, nursing, dementia and short-term respite care.