Harrogate charity given national award for its dementia services
Wellbeing support services, 'Cafes in a box' and robotic therapy cats caught the eyes of the judges
A Harrogate-based charity has won a major national award for its work to support people affected by dementia.
Dementia Forward offers information, advice and wellbeing activities to nearly 6,000 local people living with dementia and their families and actively engages with local health services to improve rates of dementia diagnosis in North Yorkshire.
It also offers activity sessions specifically for people with severe dementia and targeted support for people under 65 with young onset dementia.
Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, Dementia Forward was chosen from more than 350 charities across the UK as one of the 10 winners of the 2022 GSK IMPACT Awards. The ‘Cafes in a box’ and a team of robotic companion cats were just some of the innovations that caught the judges’ eye.
They were praised for their creative and agile response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which allowed it to continue providing emotional support through its helpline and welfare calls made by its dementia support advisers, as well as social activities across North Yorkshire during lockdown. This included running Zoom ‘cafes’ and online singing sessions, introducing ‘bubble walks’ and running online sessions for people with young-onset dementia.
This year winners will receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding as well as expert support and leadership development provided by leading health and care charity The King’s Fund.
Since last year, Dementia Forward has employed six dementia care co-ordinators based within local GP practices, who proactively seek out people who may have slipped through the net and then support them to get a diagnosis. This has helped to simplify the diagnosis process and increased referrals to the charity and comes at a time post-Covid-19 when waiting lists for diagnosis are at their highest.
Jill Quinn, CEO at Dementia Forward, said:
"I refer to us as a sleepy, North Yorkshire charity; though I have to say we have grown a lot. But to be recognised and get a national award is very exciting for Dementia Forward.
"The judges were quite enthralled with the therapy cats in particular. Some people see them as nothing more than a toy but some people used them for what they're meant for which is therapy; they're a great comfort for people with dementia. They measured everything from the serious side of what we do right through to those lovely moments with robotic cats.
"Dementia Forward is in its 10th year and the mission to provide a local for local approach to dementia support has never faltered. We believed that we had hit on a really successful model but to pass this stringent assessment of our charity and its work has cemented this for us. It has inspired and motivated our staff, Trustees and volunteers to continue to grow and develop our services that are so needed for people living with dementia. We are proud and excited to share this news with everyone who has supported us over the past 10 years."
For more information about Dementia Forward, visit: www.dementiaforward.org.uk