Message of hope at dementia seminars

More than 120 delegates attended three seminars about dementia hosted by Dorset’s Douch Family Funeral Directors.

Speakers addressed packed rooms at the funeral group’s branches in Blandford, Parkstone and Corfe Mullen.

With the population ageing, dementia of all its variants is becoming a bigger issue and delegates heard experts address the subject.

At the final event at Lesley Shand Funeral Service in Corfe Mullen – a dementia friendly community – delegates heard from three speakers.

They were Peter Jones, Chair of the Corfe Mullen Dementia Friendly Community, Dr Bernard Coope, lead consultant old age psychiatrist, and Ann Jacobs who spoke about looking after someone with dementia.

The message was one of hope and optimism and that people live with dementia, rather than suffering from it.

Dr Coope also explained how many types of dementia there were and how each showed itself in different ways.

Nick Douch, managing director of Douch Family Funeral Directors, said: “All the speakers over the three events were superb.

“The subject is an issue of growing importance that will affect more and more people and understanding it is crucial.

“We have had all our eight branches ‘dementia audited’ and most of our staff are ‘dementia friends’ following training.

“The other events were held at our Ives & Shand branch in Parkstone and our Lesley Shand branch in Blandford.

“All venues have ceremony rooms which are perfect for such seminars.

“Delegates included individuals, businesses and health professionals and the feedback was extremely positive.

“We will continue to train our staff to be ‘dementia friends’ and would encourage other businesses to do the same.”