Parc y Scarlets takes first step in becoming dementia-friendly

Parc y Scarlets is the first major sporting facility in Wales to begin working towards Dementia Friendly which is an accredited programme overseen by Alzheimer’s Society and the Dementia Action Alliance.

Earlier this season Scarlets staff and players undertook Dementia Friends’ sessions and earlier this week Peter Edwards and Rory Pitman headed to Gwernllwyn Care Home, Cross Hands, who have also pledged their support to becoming a dementia friendly organisation, to hand out festive biscuits and lots of Christmas cheer to the residents.

Alzheimer’s Society report, Building Dementia Friendly Communities: A priority for everyone, reveals less than half of people living with dementia feel a part of the community (47%) and nearly three quarters (73%) of UK adults surveyed in a YouGov poll do not think society is geared up to deal with dementia.

What is a dementia friendly community?

‘A dementia-friendly community is a city, town or village where people with dementia are understood, respected, supported, and confident they can contribute to community life.

Building Dementia Friendly Communities found that many people with dementia are not able to take part in activities that they enjoyed before they developed the condition. Many feel constrained by the condition and are not confident to get out and about and engage in their area. There is more that the person with dementia would like to do but they need support to do so.

Operations Manager Cheryl James for Alzheimer’s Society in Carmarthenshire, said; “There are 2939 people with dementia in Carmarthenshire. It is great to hear that key
organisations in the community  such as Parc y Scarletts are engaged in becoming a  dementia friendly organisation and share our aim in supporting people affected by dementia.

“Creating a dementia-friendly community will help reduce isolation and make people feel confident, understood and supported to be a valuable part of society.”

For the first time, an economic analysis commissioned by the charity also shows that Dementia Friendly Communities could save £11,000 per person per year by helping people with dementia to remain independent, stay out of care for longer and have a better quality of life.

Cheryl added; “We are calling on more businesses and community groups in Carmarthenshire to follow in the footsteps of Parc y Scarlets to help us make the whole of Carmarthenshire a dementia friendly community.”

Scarlets Community Partners Manager Nia Lloyd said: “We are delighted to be working with the Alzheimer’s Society to promote the Dementia Friendly programme. Parc y Scarlets is a location for the community as a whole and we hope that more companies will join us.

“We had a wonderful afternoon with the residents of Gwernllwyn Care Home on Thursday and we’re looking forward to welcoming them to Parc y Scarlets for the European Rugby Champions Cup game against Glasgow on Saturday.”

Organisations that are becoming dementia-friendly register through Alzheimer’s Society’s official recognition process. For more information log on to www.alzheimers.org.uk/dementiafriendlycommunities or contact Marcia Vale, Dementia Friendly Communities Co-ordinator on 07802 875 492 or email Marcia.vale@alzheimers.org.uk