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Dementia and communication

As part of Dementia Awareness Week, we are sharing five videos exploring dementia.

In our second video, Gina Cooper explains what it is like to live with the syndrome and how to help put people at ease.

Gina uses the example of being in an airport where you have lost your passport, luggage and money and no one speaks your language to describe what it can feel like to live with dementia.

“How would you feel?” she asks.

The scheme manager for West End Village recommends thinking about this scenario when communicating with people: “You would want to see people with smiley faces, soft gentle voices and people approaching with a calm and gentle manner.

“All of these things will help the person, who might be afraid, to feel more comfortable within their surroundings.”

You can view the first video, a short introduction to what dementia is, here.