Successful dementia awareness events at Wytham House

Businesses, relatives and members of the public have praised Wytham House for sharing knowledge of dementia with the community through two special events held at the care home recently.

Wytham House, a newly-built home, which sits within the Oaken Holt estate in Oxford, offers specialist residential and nursing dementia care. Together with Oaken Holt main house and the Coach House, Wytham House is surrounded by gardens and parkland extending to 23 acres in the heart of rural Oxfordshire.

Two dementia awareness events took place at the home, one aimed at family members of those living with dementia and the other at local businesses and organisations.

One attendee said: “This was a fascinating and informative insight into the world of dementia and an experience of what it feels like to have sensory and cognitive impairment caused by the condition.”

Another added ”This helped me understand my dad’s behaviour and see it in a whole different light. The interactive session had a huge impact for me on how my dad sees his surroundings and experiences everyday life.”

The event aimed to give participants an in-depth understanding about, and empathy for, the psychological needs of a person with dementia and is based on Caring Homes’ in-house dementia training programme, Living in My World, which has won a prestigious Princess Royal Training Award. There were hints and tips to improve communication and a practical session to understand some of the day-to-day frustrations that affect a person living with dementia.

To find out more about life at Wytham House, our events and activities, or to arrange a visit, please contact us on 0808 223 5402 or manager.wytham@caringhomes.org.

Background information about dementia

• Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to lots of different types of conditions
• There are  more than 200 different forms of dementia; the four most common are Alzheimer’s Disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy Bodies, Frontotemporal dementia
• One in 14 people aged 65 and over have dementia*
• Many people with dementia dislike the term ‘dementia residents’ as it implies that they are nothing more than this.
• Please avoid using the word sufferer or victim in relation to dementia. It is preferable to use ‘person with dementia’ ‘person living with dementia’ or ‘person living well with dementia’.

* According to Alzheimers Society report update 2015