Wendover Dementia Support – October 2022

Wendover shops and cafés are supporting people living with dementia
Some Wendover businesses received dementia training from Wendover Dementia Action Alliance before the pandemic, so people living with dementia usually get help when they are shopping or having a coffee in Wendover. Only a few people with dementia wear badges or carry Helpcards, so Wendover businesses are trained to think of dementia if someone seems bewildered, lost or in difficulty.

The best way to help people with dementia is to give them time, be patient and help them feel at ease. It helps to introduce yourself and explain that you are there to help everyone find what they want and pay at the checkout. Try not to appear in a hurry, bombard them with questions or make them feel inadequate. Instead help them to relax and listen carefully so you can give the specific help they need. They may have become disorientated in a supermarket and need help to find something. Or they may have problems paying at the checkout.

This is a quote after a recent successful trip to Wendover:

“I only wanted two things but they had changed everything in the shop so I couldn’t find any sugar. A lovely lady helped me find it and sorted out the money for it from my purse. She said she often couldn’t find things either and we laughed together. I felt I had found a friend.”

If your business wants further training in dementia, please email Wendover Dementia Support on wendoverds@gmail.com.