Select Committee; Dementia

Yesterday we had our select committee on the issues surrounding Dementia in Plymouth.

The discussion proved to be successful in addressing problems of dementia within Plymouth, but it is also worth noting that a lot of these issues are nationwide so a wider strategy could be put in place.

The main topics which came up include:

• The number of people with dementia in the UK will increase by 40% by 2020 – will Plymouth be able to cope with the demand?
• The time it takes and the ability to diagnose needs to improve – often people don’t know there’s a problem because they’ve grown with it – “That’s how she’s always been”
• There needs to be an all-round better understanding of dementia – from individuals to businesses
• Plymouth has started its journey to put in place 18 measures to become a ‘dementia friendly city’
• There is a lack of support workers in Plymouth and they need a better wage
• There needs to be a leaflet of services available to people with dementia and their carers specific to Plymouth – not just online as it isn’t accessible to everyone

“We’re good at adding years to life, but not adding life to years”

It may also be interesting to read this article from the Guardian as it mirrors a lot of what was said at both the select committee yesterday and our visit to Crownhill Memory Cafe, where we spoke to dementia sufferers and their carers. Although the main issues are nationwide, there is still a lot that Plymouth has the power to change in order to become a dementia friendly city.

Many thanks to Ian Sherriff, University of Plymouth and Alzheimer’s Society Trustee, Vice Chair of the Plymouth Dementia Action Alliance, Dr Stephen Pearson, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry,  Helen Phillips, Researcher at Plymouth University, Keith Bucknell, Cared for his mother who is now in a home and is studying for a research Masters in Dementia and Claire Journeaux and Angela Pedlar, both from Plymouth Community Healthcare

Youth Council tell the commission what’s unfair for kids in Plymouth

 Members of Plymouth Youth Council took part in a workshop with commissioners to explain what a fair city means to them.

The children, who were from several primary schools from across the city, shared what they felt was unfair about life in Plymouth with chair Dame Suzi Leather and commissioners Jo Higson, Sue Shaw, Steve Baker and Cllr Chris Penberthy.

Chair Suzi Leather works with some of the students to come up with their views on fairness

Working in small groups, the children produced a variety of powerful and interesting results, with one group opting to write a song to convey their views.

Some of the responses included…

“It’s unfair that people are homeless”, “Bus fares are too expensive” and “We should have more say in what happens in the city”.

The responses will be used as part of the Fairness Commission’s information gathering process, to inform their final recommendations.

Head of Lipson Co-operative Academy guides some of the children in presenting their ideas

The students came up with a variety of ways of communicating their ideas to the Commissioners