THE Melksham Community Area Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) group are continuing to make great progress toward making the town dementia- friendly.
The last few weeks have seen various meetings held by volunteers and officers to work together on plans to make Melksham dementia-friendly. These meetings have kindly been hosted by Blenheim House and bring together representatives from working groups from around the area.
The overarching aim of the group is to make sure that everyone from the Melksham community area living with dementia is respected and enabled to continue to participate in their own community as well as possible, for as long as possible. According to the Wiltshire Dementia Strategy 2014 – 2021, there are approximately 370 people in Melksham living with dementia.
Some of their work includes increasing awareness of local groups or activities. They currently promote the Memory Cafe at the Art House Cafe every third Monday of the month at 3.45pm where afternoon tea is enjoyed, with the visit of a speaker or entertainment, allowing people who are suffering to speak to other people with similar situations.
Singing for the Brain is held at Seend Village Hall every Wednesday from 2pm to 3.30pm and Movement for the Mind is held at Bowerhill Village Hall both the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 10.30am-12noon.
They have newly introduced a ‘dementia friendly’ swimming session for people living with dementia and their carers. This swimming session is one of the quietest in the current pool programme and staff at the Blue Pool have recently undergone Dementia Friends training to help them accommodate the needs of those who may attend.
The Melksham Community Area DAA welcomes support from across the community. If you are interested in coming along to a meeting or being involved in any way please email Rhys Schell Rhys.schell@wilt shire.gov.uk
