Monthly Archives: April 2013
Police scheme in Berkshire will assist dementia carers
Police backing for Neighbourhood Return scheme
By Natasha Adkins
April 25, 2013
A unique community project which uses volunteers to search for lost people with memory problems has received funding from Thames Valley Police to expand into Berkshire.
Neighbourhood Return, a Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network (NHWN) project, is a first response service that helps locate people with memory problems, like dementia, using a team of volunteer searchers.
Pilot scheme designed to improve hospital experience of dementia patients and their carers
Foundation aims to improve hospital experience of dementia patients with ‘Buddie’ scheme
Date of article: 25-Apr-13
Article By: Laura McCardle, News Editor
An initiative designed to improve the hospital experience of dementia patients, their families and carers is to be piloted in an Essex hospital.
The Mickey Payne Memorial Foundation and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) hope to implement the ‘Dementia Buddie Scheme’ by the start of June.
The project will see volunteers befriend people with dementia during hospital stays when their family, friends or carers are not available. Caroline Dearson, founder of the Mickey Payne Memorial Foundation, came up with the idea when she was sat in hospital with her father who had vascular dementia.
Eastenders bad boy runs in Marathon to raise awareness of dementia
Eastenders actor raises awareness of dementia by completing the London Marathon
Date of article: 24-Apr-13
Article By: Laura McCardle, News Editor
Eastenders bad boy Aykut Hilmi raised awareness of dementia when he ran the Virgin London Marathon in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society on Sunday.
It was the fifth marathon for the actor, who has also appeared in films Mamma Mia, The Bourne Ultimatum and Nine.
Mr Hilmi completed the 26.2-mile challenge to support his father, Ali, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2005.
His training took a blow when a back problem returned but he still managed to complete the race and crossed the finish line after four hours and forty minutes.
After the marathon, Mr Hilmi said: “I wasn’t able to train as planned so the race was a challenge. The only thing that kept me going was remembering I was doing it for my dad – because of his dementia my dad doesn’t even recognise me when he is watching me on TV or in a film.
“Running for my family and for the Alzheimer’s Society, who provide such great support to people affected by the condition, spurred me on to the finish line.”
Liz Monks, director of fundraising at the charity, said: “We’re so grateful to Aykut for taking on the challenge of the London Marathon in support of the Alzheimer’s Society.
