Taking dementia awareness beyond the home

Right at Home Worthing & Shoreham is taking dementia awareness beyond the home, with two members of its team working to help local people better understand dementia and the challenges it can bring.

Esmé Maunsell, Training and Field Care Manager, and Kelly Herriott, Senior Carer at Right at Home Worthing & Shoreham District, have completed Dementia Interpreter training and are putting their knowledge into practice by raising awareness across the local community.

As a homecare provider supporting people living with dementia, Right at Home recognises how important it is for individuals and families to feel understood and supported. Greater awareness can also help people feel more confident when communicating with someone living with dementia.

Through this work, Esmé and Kelly hope to improve understanding of the condition, challenge misconceptions and encourage more dementia-friendly attitudes throughout Worthing, Shoreham and the surrounding areas.

They completed their training with Training 2 Care, building on their existing knowledge and experience of supporting people in their own homes.

Esmé said:

“I felt we both learnt a lot and even though we had already been through the training last year, we both felt as though you can always learn something new. It was nice to bring in our experiences working out on the field and link them to ways we can support others.”

Kelly added:

“It really is a great training course and Mick made me confident to train this back out to others.”

Esmé and Kelly are keen to share their knowledge with the wider community, including local businesses, community groups, organisations and workplaces that would like to learn more about dementia.

By sharing their knowledge and experience, they hope to help more people understand the experiences of those living with dementia and feel better equipped to communicate with them.