NPT Homes Seeks to Help Tenants Suffering from Dementia
NPT Homes is looking to better care for tenants and staff who may be suffering from dementia by signing up to become a Dementia Friendly organisation.
Dementia is a progressive disease which can trigger a loss of brain function and is usually severe. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion and problems with speech and understanding.
In order to become a Dementia Friendly organisation, all NPT Homes staff will undergo basic training in how to recognise the signs and symptoms of the disease.
Some staff will then undergo further training to become a Dementia Friend and will be given extra information about the personal impact of dementia and what they can do to help. They will also gain the knowledge required to understand how to respond when encountering people living with the condition.
On top of that, selected staff members will then become Dementia Friends Champions and will receive induction and support so that they can promote awareness of the disease and provide further training to their colleagues.
Karen Jackson is leading the project on behalf of NPT Homes. She said:
“There are currently over 45,000 dementia suffers in Wales, roughly 14% of the population. This means that potentially there could be around 1300 NPT Homes tenants suffering from the disease. Therefore it is vitally important that our staff are able recognise the signs of the disease so that they can deal effectively with any tenants who have the condition.”
NPT Homes becoming a Dementia Friendly organisation follows on from them appointing the Alzheimer’s Society as its chosen charity in 2016 and raising over £2700 for the organsiation.
Chris Stokes from the Alzheimer’s Society said:
"NPT Homes has long been a supporter of people living with dementia, firstly through their fundraising efforts last year and now through aiming to become a Dementia Friendly organisation. We are thrilled to be working with them on this project and supporting them as they aim to achieve this goal.”
