Dementia Friendly Swansea Forum Meeting Minutes – 5th December 11am-1pm, Swansea Waterfront Museum
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Attendees:
Ben Ruddle* (DFS Chair), Wayne Dyer (DFS Treasurer), Keith Jeavors (Swansea Fundraising Group), Sue Coleman (ABMU HB), Dan Lacey* (Alzheimer’s Society), Mark Fitzgerald (YMCA Swansea), Elaine James* (SCVS), Jane Smart* (Swansea Social Services), Jane Thomas* (Swansea Social Services), Shelia Betts (Network 50+), Sue Latham (Forge Fach Clydach Walsingham), Trish Thomas (Me, myself & i), Tony Lane (Me, myself & I), Matt James* (Welsh ambulance service), Nigel Hullah (DEEP), Dawn George (Home instead), Lynne John (Hengoed Care), Amanda Fancourt (Dementia Arts), Steve Anderson (independent), Jeanette Munn (Swansea Council), Vickie Lawday* (Swansea Council), Alison Richards (AMBU), Katie Bithell (ABMU), Marcia Vale (Alzheimer’s Society)
Apologies – Sue (Wiltshire Farm foods)
*Dementia Champions
1. Welcome – DFS Chair
Much improved attendance thus will return to original location of Swansea Waterfront Museum.
2. Presentation – Dan Lacey from the Alzheimer’s Society
Dementia Connect programme launched in 2017, 5-year strategy reviewing how services are delivered. Better access for service users, increased levels of support and more secure / robust referral system now in place. Dementia advisors can do home visits. To be eligible need to be diagnosed with dementia. Allocated on a ‘needs’ basis, those socially isolated having higher priority. Follow up calls and check-in’s if further support required. Focus on Dementia Network. Dan looking to set up a review plan in Swansea following the success in Bridgend. 4 – 8 people diagnosed with dementia to review policies, e.g. funding raising, Welsh Ambulance Services, Health & Social Care experiences.
3. Treasurer’s Report
Current bank balance at £2,238.15
4. Update since last Forum Meeting from Chair
Creating more Dementia Friends in Swansea: Estimated to be 2200 Dementia Friends within the postcode areas the City & County of Swansea. This includes 85 Dementia Champions. However only 45 active Dementia Champions identified. Aim is to encourage the 45 active members to conduct more awareness sessions in the local community to raise the profile. Three focus groups to target – the younger generations (Gendros and Cados Primary schools two great examples), businesses (those that have signed up to pledge to be Dementia Friends, do we know who they are they and what they are doing for it?) and the wider general public.
Lyndsey Jones from Dementia Friends has arranged a meeting on Monday 10th December 5pm, Brynmill Scout & Guide Hall for the Dementia Friends to network, Ben Ruddle (DFS Chair) to attend to encourage engagement with DFS.
Sue (Wilshire Foods) leading the action plan to phone around the list of champions to gauge their level of interest to continue and to run awareness sessions.
Amanda Fancourt (Dementia Arts) has a list of dementia volunteers which she can pass on to Sue to reach out to.
Update from Marcia Vale (Alzheimer’s Society) – ‘Dementia Friends’ up for consultation currently within the Alzheimer’s Society. An attitudinal change is required now rather than just wearing a badge. Currently as an internal discussion only by the Alzheimer’s Society as this would have world-wide impact.
Dementia Friendly Swansea Website
Needs overall improvement.
Information pages to be created under the following headings:
Health – e.g. dementia service coordinators
Social – list of events across the area for people with dementia and their carers to access
Third sector organisations – what private help / support is available. Commercial aspect here.
Charity organisations – list of those in the Swansea and surround areas available.
Can a timeline be created with bullet points for when people have been given a diagnosis, a pathway for information?
Mark (YMCA) raised the point of creating an App.
Can we incorporate questions for families to ask of residential homes?
List activity groups by type e.g. music groups, days of the week… different fields to filter by.
How many hits does the DFS website get? Google analytics accessed via Jude. Can we get this information?
Go Wales – could we get a student to do web development to create / maintain the site for us at a reduced cost.
Volunteers to assist with the website – Marica Vale (Alzheimer’s Society), Vickie Lawday (Swansea Council), Sheila and Jo (50+ Network)
5. DFS Logo
It was agreed the whole design needs to be changed. To be discussed in more depth at the next DFS Management Meeting. First action point / review for Dan’s ‘Focus on Dementia Network’ for their input once established.
6. Any other business
Nigel Hullah discussed some frustrations with funding not being released by Welsh Government.
Jeanette Munn updated on various funds awarded for care home monies available. Event next Feb or March to raise. 3 beds put in for dementia respite nursing beds.
Tricia Thomas from ‘Me, Myself and I’ based in Britton Ferry. Club for individuals with dementia, memory loss support. Great safe, friendly and supportive space.
Action points for Wayne Dyer – Dementia Friendly Swansea pull ups and laminates
Closing notes
Thanks, given for attendance, engagement and volunteering by Chair.
Next Forum Meeting, Wednesday 6th February 11am – 1pm at Swansea Waterfront Museum
Next Steering Committee, Wednesday 23rd January 10am – Midday, at Homeinstead Office, Unit 1 Business Centre, Kingsway, Fforestfach, SA5 4DL