Learning from the experts: Dementia and community events aim to improve lives in Tayside

T thehrough a series of creative and engaging online and telephone sessions, people of Tayside living with dementia, their unpaid carers and those who support them will have the chance to talk about their experiences and what matters to them.

The initiative has been launched to give a safe space for those living with dementia and those caring for someone with dementia so they can express their thoughts, feelings and concerns as well as discuss what type of support they would most like to see locally.

Hosted by the Life Changes Trust, a charity which supports and empowers people living with dementia and their unpaid carers, the online sessions have been planned by the Village Storytelling Centre and will have a strong focus on learning through creativity and emotion.

Arlene Crockett, Director of Evidence and Influencing for the Dementia Programme at the Life Changes Trust, said: “The purpose of our storytelling sessions is to ask people from across Tayside what their priorities are, and look at what could be done to better address those priorities.

“We will learn about what is important to them, where there are gaps in providing a caring and supportive community and how services could be better designed and delivered.”

Held online via Zoom and by telephone, the sessions will be accessible to everyone who feels they would benefit from the discussion, which finds itself more relevant than ever after last year’s lockdown.

Arlene added: “By putting the voice of the people living with dementia and unpaid carers up front and centre, we are hearing from, and learning from, the experts.”

The sessions:

Monday March 22, 10.30am to 12pm – session for people living with dementia

Monday March 22, 2-to 4pm – session for staff/ volunteers working with people with dementia and/ or unpaid carers

Tuesday March 23, 2-4pm – session for unpaid carers of people living with dementia

To book a space, phone the Life Changes Trust on 0141 212 9600 or email: admin@ lifechangestrust.co.uk

Alternatively, the Life Changes Trust offers telephone calls to anyone affected by dementia, if attending the online sessions does not suit.

There are slots available on Wednesday March 24 at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 2pm (all 30-minute calls).

The Life Changes Trust was set up with a National Lottery Community Fund endowment of £50 million to improve the lives of people living with dementia, unpaid carers of people living with dementia and young people with care experience.