Kent Dementia Action Alliance hosted a show on Monday October 21 entitled Living Well with Dementia at a secondary school in Maidstone. An Anna Chaplaincy stand for Rochester and Canterbury Dioceses was staffed by Anna Chaplains from across Kent, including Sue Yeo from Maidstone.
Many Kent organisations were represented at the event; Kent’s local authority services, including Kent fire and rescue, the police, community wardens, trading standards and library services; the NHS teams in Kent, such as Admiral Nursing, talking therapies and patient engagement; Age UK organisations from across the county; creative groups like Bright Shadow and Timeless Presents; legal and financial advisers; dementia charities like Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Services; care home companies; home care agencies.
There were information talks, and the Dementia Friendly Kent Awards were announced. The Songsters Choir provided entertainment over lunch.
Exhibiting at the show was a good opportunity to explain how Anna Chaplains provide spiritual care and to promote the many groups and activities where churches in Kent welcome people affected by dementia.
Some of the many visitors to the stand who took information included Admiral Nurses, care home staff, a staff member employed in Kent golf courses, police officers involved in finding people who go missing, people from churches not yet known about who run groups, local councillors, and of course people with dementia and carers.
A carer spoke about attending Salvation Army Sunday services with her husband and the kindness and support they receive. She was honest about how difficult life can be but wanted other Christian carers to know – ‘There is hope. God is with you.’
Members of the specialist dementia team at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford shared how valuable they found the hospital’s chaplaincy service. To be able to refer patients to the team so they can have conversations about things that are important to them is a gift.
‘Our chaplain comes in and lifts everyone’s spirits!’
Julia Burton-Jones, Anna Chaplaincy lead for Kent (and Anna Chaplaincy training and development lead at BRF Ministries), said ‘It was wonderful to meet people living with dementia and their carers, and to network with others from across caring organisations who share our vision for welcoming and inclusive communities. In our conversations, we explained how Anna Chaplaincy enables spiritual care in dementia and were encouraged that so many visitors agreed that this makes an important contribution in living well with dementia.’
Jude, admissions manager from Chartwell House in Broadstairs which was shortlisted in the Dementia Friendly Kent Annual Awards, said of her Anna Chaplain Judith (also on the stand),
‘she is a godsend!’
Judith took part in a recent event at Chartwell House to celebrate the marriage of home manager Diane and her husband Paul, saying prayers of blessing for the couple.
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