Dementia in Scotland Summer 2016 – Issue 90 Celebrating 25,000 Dementia Friends …and counting 2 Dementia in Scotland Contents 4–5 Take a look at what went on around Scotland during Dementia Awareness Week 2016. 14–15 Members of the Scottish Dementia Working Group and National Dementia Carers Action Network talk 7–9 about what resilience means to them at the NHS Scotland Resilience Event. Join us in celebrating our 25,000 Dementia Friends milestone. 19 20–21 Find out how Alzheimer Scotland members in the Lothians Discover how our Allied Health Professional internship and Borders are making their voices heard locally. programme is equipping health and social care professionals to better understand dementia. Front cover image: by Lewis Houghton Welcome Issue 90 – Summer 2016 3 Welcome! This summer I’m extremely pleased Finally, I am really looking forward to be celebrating 25,000 Dementia to taking part in this September’s Friends in Scotland. The Dementia Memory Walks. Memory Walks are our Friends programme has been running biggest fundraising event of the year for just over two years in Scotland and and this year we aim to raise £250,000 I am impressed that we have reached to support our local services. There this remarkable milestone already. On are 20 walks taking place all over the average we’ve been signing up nearly country and we hope you can join us to 1,000 new Dementia Friends every help raise awareness and vital funds for month and in this edition of Dementia people living with dementia in Scotland in Scotland we share some of the and the partners, family members, 24–25 stories and successes. carers and friends who support them. Dementia Awareness Week is the The walks are relaxed, fun, suitable for In this edition’s Relative Values, biggest event in our annual calendar, the whole family and also a great way Julie Duffus tells us what motivated and between 30 May and 5 June to keep fit. her to become the first participant our staff, services, volunteers and in a ground-breaking new supporters organised a huge variety of Alzheimer’s study. events to raise awareness and money to help support people living with dementia across Scotland. We are Dementia Awareness Week grateful to everyone who participated: is the biggest event in your dedication and commitment is helping us to work towards our goal of our annual calendar, making sure nobody faces dementia alone. You can read a round-up of and between 30 May Dementia Awareness Week on the and 5 June our staff, following pages, including coverage of our annual conference. services, volunteers and In the run up to the Holyrood supporters organised a elections many of you joined us in 29 campaigning for candidates to sign up huge variety of events to the Alzheimer Scotland Pledge on Game of Thrones star, Kate Dickie, Dementia. The result was that nearly to raise awareness and launches this year's Memory Walks. half of MSPs elected to the parliament money to help support have signed the pledge. Thanks so much to everyone who took time to people living with ask their local candidates to pledge dementia across Scotland. their support for the 90,000 people in Scotland who are living with dementia. Next year will see local elections which have incredibly important implications for all local health and social care services, and we will need your support more than ever before to ensure your candidates sign up to support local 30 people with dementia and their carers. We’ll keep you up to date on our campaigning activity and look forward Catch up on the latest from our to your continued support. Henry Simmons fantastic Scotmid Co-operative Chief Executive partnership. Alzheimer Scotland 4 Dementia in Scotland Dementia Awareness Week rom 30 May to 5 June, thousands of BBC Scotland created a season people across Scotland took part of programming to coincide with Fin seven days of awareness raising, DAW, including the launch of the BBC conversation, fundraising, support Reminiscence Archive (RemArc) and a and celebration to mark Dementia programme where Anne Macdonald of Awareness Week 2016 (DAW). the Scottish Dementia Working Group The theme of this year’s DAW was spoke to Kaye Adams and John Beattie ‘Let’s challenge dementia together!’ and about her experience of dementia. people in Scotland took to the streets, On Twitter, over 8,850 tweets were community hubs, shops, workplaces sent about DAW and over half a million and social media to challenge stigma, people were reached through our misconceptions and raise funds. messages on Facebook and Twitter. There were information stands in Leanne Murphy from Cumbernauld public locations, concerts, takeover (pictured bottom right) got involved days in town centres and supermarkets, in the week, holding a Purple Tea Staff, volunteers and supporters zip-sliding purple parties and some of Scotland’s Party at her home and inviting friends. near Inverness to raise funds during DAW most famous landmarks were even She commented: “My nanna Gertie lit up in purple – the internationally passed away in February 2015 with recognised colour for Alzheimer’s. vascular dementia and this was a In a collaboration between the really nice opportunity to remember University of the West of Scotland and her while also raising awareness. We Alzheimer Scotland, the inspiring Grace had a memory wall where we wrote Notes project brought together students, up special memories. At the Tea and people with dementia and their carers to Blether, we also highlighted the create seven brand new songs exploring importance of talking, listening and the theme of dementia. A song was giving someone the time of day and Members of the local Scottish Dementia released each day during DAW. interest in their lives. It soon turned Working Group held a Tea & Blether in the Gospel Church Hall in Perth to talk about how to involve people in their work and raise awareness of dementia Leanne Murphy (right) with friend at her DAW Purple Tea Party Dementia Awareness Week Issue 90 – Summer 2016 5 Yvonne Manson climbed munros Driesh and Mayar to raise funds during DAW. Here she is with brother Billy and sister-in-law Jenny enjoying the view! Police Scotland made a series of powerful videos for DAW, which got lots of attention on social media. This one features Henry Rankin of the Scottish Dementia Working Group telling the powerful story of his diagnosis. Watch all the films at www.alzscot.org/policevideos All four troops of the 32nd Scouts became Dementia Friends during DAW into a garden party as it was so hot! More info I had a collection box and we raised £50 for Alzheimer Scotland. We had a Listen to the Grace Notes songs lovely afternoon.” at www.alzscot.org/gracenotes Reflecting on the week, Henry You can access reminiscence tools and Simmons, Chief Executive of Alzheimer dementia season programmes at Scotland, said: “This was another www.bbc.co.uk/dementia wonderful Dementia Awareness Week www.bbc.co.uk/ and it was marvellous to see people memoriesandconversations right across the country getting www.bbc.co.uk/taster/projects/ behind the campaign and raising the your-memories profile of dementia in our workplaces, www.bbc.co.uk/taster/projects/remarc schools, the media and beyond. It was a wonderful coming together of the dementia community. A big thank you goes out to everyone involved.” Thanks to people with dementia, their carers, supporters, volunteers and staff, hundreds of important The high rise flats in Anniesland conversations about dementia took Cross lit up purple for DAW Scotland place this summer. Conference 6 Dementia in Scotland Annual conference n Friday 3 June, Alzheimer advancing across all disciplines – from Dr Al Power, University of Rochester, Scotland’s annual conference scientific and clinical developments to travelled from the USA to present at Obrought together over 550 practice and delivery of care. the conference. He commented: “I was delegates at the world-class Edinburgh The conference included privileged to present an interactive role International Conference Centre, for opportunities to meet with colleagues, play with Kate Swaffer and Jan Dewing, an innovative programme with highly debate, stroll through the vibrant to illustrate how stigma affects the respected international, UK and exhibition hall and listen to live person’s outlook and wellbeing, right Scottish speakers. ‘soapbox’ sessions sharing the very from the day of diagnosis.” The conference explored the theme latest products and ideas. ‘Global to local: research, practice, Speaking about the conference, More info innovation’. Improving practice was Andrew and Beverley Norton said: “We an important theme and delegates enjoyed the conference very much. We Third Force News was there on the day heard how people across the world particularly enjoyed, Kate Swaffer’s covering events and interviews with Dr Al are focusing on the person behind the emphasis on positivity; thinking about Power, Kate Swaffer, Prof Debbie Tolson dementia and devising exceptional care what you can do, rather than what you and Prof Craig Ritchie can be found led by people’s unique needs. There can’t.” at www.thirdforcenews.org.uk/alzscot was also a focus on how research is Soapbox sessions showcased innovative practice Bustling exhibition area which hosted 52 in non-pharmacological interventions exhibitors from across Scotland Sharing best practice This April, Alzheimer Scotland and The University needs. Dr Judd explained how the charity's Christian ethos of Edinburgh welcomed Dr. Stephen Judd, Chief is at the centre of their approach to caring for people with Executive of HammondCare, to speak about his dementia, and gave an overview of their “Going To Stay At charity's dynamic approach to caring for people Home” programme which aims to increase the knowledge, with dementia.