Keyton village creates a dementia discussion group others could follow
“The resident approached me as she cared for her own partner who had increasing dementia and she recognised a lot of other people at the village were at various stages in their dementia journey as well,” Kate said
Keyton’s The Grove Ngunnawal, ACT, has taken up Dementia Australia’s Dementia Action Week’s focus to create a dementia support group.
It began when a resident approached Keyton’s ACT Senior Village Manager, Kate Bower, asking whether she could start a support group.
“The resident approached me as she cared for her own partner who had increasing dementia and she recognised a lot of other people at the village were at various stages in their dementia journey as well,” Kate said.
Following this initial approach, a small group of residents formed and now meet once a week to chat about dementia and to share their personal experiences. The group of residents are all caring for their partners who are at various stages of dementia.
Deepening the sense of community is the fact that while the group meets, other residents take the carers’ partners for a walk or some other activity offering them some slight respite.
Kate says it’s quite fortunate that the resident who organised the initiative has quite a lot of experience in the space as she has been on a long journey with Dementia Australia.
“It’s completely resident-led and all we do is provide the group with a place to meet,” Kate said.
“It’s a beautiful example of how a retirement living community is a really giving community as everyone looks after one another.”
The SOURCE: a wonderful and appropriate initiative by a resident taken on so warmly by a provider.
