Val Freestone, a registered nurse of 21 years, provides tailored support to those diagnosed with dementia, as well as their loved ones and carers, in the Trust's memory clinic.
Val will be available today (Monday 19 May) between 14.30 and 15.30 on @dementia_nurse to answer general questions about dementia from members of the public. Other healthcare professionals working in the field of dementia are encouraged to participate to share their ideas and experience. The hashtag is #dementiachat
Val, who started at Addenbrooke’s in June 2013, said: “One of the continuing challenges in dementia care is raising awareness and this is the purpose of holding a chat on Twitter.
“Although a huge amount has changed in the last 15 years or so, people with dementia still get labelled as dementia sufferers, and then they don’t receive the tailored support they need.
“Anyone coming into hospital, whatever age or mental capacity, is likely to feel nervous. People with dementia are no different, but instead their concerns may be ignored because carers or healthcare professionals may be putting that anxiety down to dementia.
“One of the main ways in which we can help people with dementia is to take the time to get to know them, to listen to their individual concerns, and treat them like people essentially. It’s important to find out about their likes and dislikes as well as their behaviour triggers, for anxiety or aggression for example.
“The biggest change in dementia care is this social perspective, a holistic approach and personalised care. We should be enabling those with dementia rather than thinking of it as a disability.”
CUH’s memory clinic is where patients and their families are given support and advice on follow-up services after a dementia diagnosis has been made. The clinic is also a centre for research into the management of dementia how to improve the quality of life for those with it.
Val continued: “Follow-up care is so important for patients and families, and a large part of my role is focused on pointing them towards services which can help them to manage their situation. Families and carers of people with dementia often feel comfortable speaking to someone like me.
“At CUH we now have 27 dementia champions across the Trust and we run training sessions every month. We also have a number of tools in place to help staff provide a better service to patients with dementia, including the Alzheimer's Society's 'This Is Me' passport.”
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Adrian Ient| Media Relations Manager
Tel: 01223 274433 | Ext: 4433 | 07703 887759.
http://www.cuh.org.uk
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CUH dementia nurse holds Twitter chat on dementia today
19 May 2014
A specialist clinical dementia nurse at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) is holding a chat on Twitter this afternoon at the start of Dementia Awareness Week.