Ipswich Buses Supports Dementia Action Week
Ipswich Buses has joined forces with the Ipswich Dementia Action Alliance to support Dementia Action Week 2022 which takes place from Monday 16th May to Sunday 22nd May 2022.
The Ipswich Dementia Action Alliance is an Ipswich based charity with a locally based board of trustees and volunteers which aims to increase dementia awareness across the Borough of Ipswich by recruiting a wide range of local businesses and organisations to support the roll out of Dementia friends’ awareness sessions and adopting dementia friendly measures.
To mark the beginning of Dementia action week a specially branded bus visited Bucklesham Grange Care Home which works with the IDAA to carry out dementia friendly actives including singing for the brain led by IDAA Trustee Jill Barton.
The IDAA has planned a series of events throughout the week to raise awareness of dementia which include the launch of a dementia awareness staff training and support programme with Ipswich Borough Council, a singing for the brain session for residents at Bucklesham Grange Care Home with members of the Notoriety Choir and the launch of a new monthly Dementia Café.
IDAA volunteers will also be manning a market stall on Friday 20th May at Giles Circus in Ipswich Town Centre where everyone is welcome to come and talk to the IDAA team to find out more about dementia and their dementia friendly projects.
Steve Bryce, General Manager at Ipswich Buses and a trustee of the IDAA said “Sadly Dementia is an illness that does not get talked about enough and this can lead to people who live with Dementia feeling isolated and alone. After talking to the late Roger Fern before the first lockdown I felt compelled to help break down the barriers that people who live with dementia face by raising awareness to create dementia friendly actives so that with their friends or family can feel confident to do everyday things that we take for granted like leaving the house or catching the bus to go and meet their friends for a coffee or go for a walk”.
Amanda-Jane Frank, Customer Relationship Manager at Bucklesham Grange Care Home said” It was so lovely meeting with Steve and seeing the “Ipswich Buses Double Decker Bus” arrive at Bucklesham Grange Care Home. We are very proud to be supporting the IDAA and supporting Dementia Action Week. Bucklesham Grange Care Home provides care for Residential, Dementia Residents on a Long Term or Short Term Respite. Our Vision – To be recognised as the leading provider of high quality, relationship-centred care for all residents. Relationships are so important to us every day and that’s why we’re always happy to work with IDAA and congratulation them for this week – keep up the amazing work!”.
Jill Barton who leads Singing for the Brain at Bucklesham Grange commented "What a great start to our Dementia Action week. We have been singing with residents of Bucklesham Grange for over a year now and it is wonderful to see them joining in with familiar songs. Singing boosts the memory and is a fantastic way of communicating with people living with dementia. "
Dementia is everyone’s business so to find out more please contact the Ipswich Dementia Action Alliance by email ipswichdementia@gmail.com or you can follow them on Facebook @ipswichdementia.