Tips and ideas to Be a Great Dementia Friend
We thought we would share some simple tips that might help you understand how you can help make life better for people with Dementia.
These are from the booklet “The Little Book of Friendship” that is sent to you when you become a Dementia Friend.
Share A Cuppa – A Cup of Tea and a chat doesn’t sound like much but popping round to a friend with dementia and spending a bit of time with them will really brighten their day.
Reminiscing – Dementia often affects short term memories more than long- term ones, so chatting to your friend with dementia about growing up, or getting an old photo album out is a great way to trigger their favourite memories.
Things can seem different for people with dementia – For someone with dementia, swirls in colourful patterns can look like snakes and dots look like moving insects. A black rug could look like a gaping hole or a shiny floor like a big puddle, If you see someone looking confused, see if you can reassure them.
Stay Calm – Dementia may cause your friend to behave in a way that might seem a bit out of character. Don’t take it personally, they might just be feeling confused or frustrated. If you feel awkward, do your best to stay calm.
Tune In – Music is an extremely powerful way of bringing back happy memories for people with dementia. You could create a playlist of favourite songs and listen to it together.
It is FREE to become a Dementia Friend – You can do a short (approximately 1 hour) course with Approach – please email us on enquiries@approachstaffordshire.co.uk or call us on 01782 214999 to enquire when our next Dementia Friends session is taking place.
Alternatively you can watch a short video online and register here – https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/
