The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Town opens doors to discussion for a ‘dementia-friendly’ future
A new group has been launched to make a northeast town as amenable as it can be for people with a debilitating mental condition.
The Dementia Friendly Portlethen group has been established to support local people who suffer from the illness.
The initiative is supported by Lethen Park Care Home, Dementia Friendly Aberdeenshire, and council co-leader and North Kincardine councillor Alison Evison. It held its first meeting on September 16 at the care home on Berrymuir Road, and was attended by 35 members of the local community who were keen to help.
The group is examining ways the Portlethen community can better support dementia sufferers and their carers in the area before implementing an action plan.
General manager at Lethen Park, Michael Meme – who is currently doing a masters degree in dementia studies – said: “By hosting these meetings, we are opening our doors to everyone with an interest in the issue, putting our home on the map and helping remove the stigma surrounding care homes.
“I am excited to push this forward, together with the team and everyone in Portlethen, to make a difference for people with dementia.”
Labour councillor, Mrs Evison, said: “Hearing people’s stories, it is clear there is a pressing need for this initiative locally.
“We hope to make Portlethen a community where people with dementia can live happily and securely.”
Project officer at Dementia Friendly Aberdeenshire, Kate Gray, said: “All across Scotland, and indeed the world, communities are working to make themselves more dementia friendly.
“Wherever we are, this can be achieved by making small changes to the way we think and behave and to the physical environments we live in.”
The next meeting of the committee will be on November 1 at the care home and is open to anyone in the community.