£200,000 to continue dementia schemes

GWYNEDD Council will continue to fund innovative community schemes to help those suffering from dementia, the cabinet has confirmed.

Meeting last Tuesday, decision makers approved a £200,000 bid to continue funding the ‘Dementia Go’ project for another two years, which supports people living with dementia and their carers to promote an enriched quality of life through more physical activity.

With the initial funding drying up at the end of the current financial year, the cash injection means it can now continue until March 2022.

Among the services provided are day classes and community support for residents living with various forms of dementia, through different activities in 12 community centres across the county.

These include physical activity classes, encouraging light physical exercises within care homes, and the training of groups and communities through the “Dementia friends” programme, offering a better knowledge and understanding of dementia condition while eliminating the stigma surrounding its various forms.

Dementia Go was recently recognised on a British level at the Alzheimer’s Society Awards in London after being nominated in the ‘Trailblazer of the Year’ category.

Following their recent nomination, Gwynedd’s DementiaGo programme manager Emma Quaeck said: “The DementiaGo programme offers physical activity sessions in a safe and understanding environment for people living with dementia and their carers.

“Some of these activities include exercises to help strengthen the body, improve balance, dancing, circuit training, gym work, playing table tennis, boccia and swimming.

“We have also been involved in establishing the Gwynedd Boccia league which has proved to be a great success.

“Boccia, which is a precision ball sport related to bowls and petanque, is becoming a popular activity played by many local groups and organisations, and the great thing about the game is that everyone can have a go no matter what their health condition may be.”