Arlene Phillips Launches New Activities Book for People Living with Dementia

Arlene Phillips Launches New Activities Book for People Living with Dementia

LONDON, June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --




- Book contains 100 simple tips to help families, friends and carers


TV talent show judge and choreographer Arlene Phillips has launched a new guide that
shows supporting someone living with dementia is not always as difficult as it first
seems.



To coincide with National Care Home Open Day this Friday (June 21), leading care
provider Care UK has created a special guide to provide 100 practical tips to those caring
for friends or family affected dementia at home, and for people visiting loved ones in
residential care.



The publication, As Easy as ABC, can be downloaded from careuk.com [http://careuk.com
] and will be available from all 107 Care UK residential care homes on the open day.



Arlene, who was awarded a CBE for her services to charity in the New Year Honours
list, is a passionate advocate for better care for elderly people. She cared for her
father before the time came when he needed full-time residential care due to the effects
of Alzheimer's disease.



"Deciding that residential care was the right way forward was tremendously difficult,"
Arlene revealed.



"He forgot things like where he lived and leaving the gas on and I took up the role of
carer. But eventually his mental state deteriorated to the point where I knew the care I
was giving was not enough.



"I personally struggled to make the most out of the final years I spent with my
father. Having ideas on how to spend time with him like those in the As Easy as ABC guide
would have helped a great deal but now others can benefit."



The book, targeted primarily at the families and carers of the estimated 800,000
people with dementia in the UK, aims to give home carers some ideas and inspiration for
ways to get the most out of the time they spend looking after a loved one.



We also know from feedback that people who visit people in our care homes often find
they are unsure of what to say or do, so the activity ideas are to help people get the
most out of their visits too.



From the best way to make breakfast to ideas on using the internet to trigger memories
of household products, packaging and advertisements from the past, Care UK's book gives
practical tips on maintaining quality of life.



Ideas include craft activities and games for the whole, ways to spark memories and
conversations, tips for making the most of meals together and advice for exercise and fun
days out and about.



Deirdre Timney, Care UK's expert on activity-based care, said: "Thousands of people
around the country are caring for a friend or loved one who is living with dementia, and
many of them will never have access to any kind of training or support.



"This book is designed to offer real-life examples and practical hints and tips about
how to care for someone, and some of them may be a surprise."



http://www.careuk.com - +44(0)333-321-8305




Care UK

CONTACT: patrick@fourcountries.co.uk - +44(0)7889-998052


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