This year at Soha we have been working towards becoming a dementia-friendly organisation.
We want to be at the forefront of helping people with memory loss remain independent in their community for as long as possible.
Dementia is not a natural part of ageing; it can affect younger people, but proportionately will occur more frequently in the older age group. However, there is advice and support to hand. When we meet residents with memory loss we want to give the best service we can.
So, working with our Senior’s Group we have:
- Trained our staff in understanding how to communicate well with someone experiencing dementia
- Helped many people find safer, easier to manage accommodation
- Developed 3 Extra Care Housing schemes where people with dementia can live well with other independent older people
- Produced a guide to help with the process of moving home in later life
- Helped residents understand how GPs and agencies can help in the early days of diagnosis
- Provided aids and adaptations to help keep people mobile and safe at home
- Trained over 100 dementia friends from staff and involved residents
- Joined Healthy Abingdon week and talked to the public about dementia
….and our Board have signed up to the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia–friendly housing charter.
We believe that people with dementia can live well in the community. Dementia brings challenges but as a housing association, we may well be part of the solution.
