Dementia Action Week 2026

At our hospitals, our Dementia Team continues to work hard to embed good practice across our hospitals. This includes a number of initiatives designed to improve the care and experience of patients living with dementia and those who support them:

• ‘This is Me’: A document developed by the Alzheimer’s Society that patients or carers can complete to help staff understand the individual's personal needs, history and preferences.
  
• John’s Campaign: We are proud to support this campaign, which enables carers to stay overnight with their loved ones while they are in hospital. Please speak to a senior nurse on the ward for more details.
  
• Admiral Nurse Service: Led by Asma Pandor, this service provides expert dementia support for families and can be accessed via self-referral by patients or carers. Please speak to your ward staff for details.
  
• Carer’s Passport: This provides benefits such as enhanced visiting arrangements and access to food and drink while supporting someone in hospital.
  
• Gloucestershire Carers Hub: We work closely with this organisation to ensure carers have access to additional support and resources. More information can be found at gloucestershirecarershub.co.uk.
  

Support for patients in our hospitals also includes dedicated Activity Coordinators, who run engaging creative sessions, as well as recently appointed Enhanced Care Workers, who help meet the needs of patients requiring additional support. Our teams are also continuing to develop more dementia-friendly environments to create spaces that are calm, comfortable and reassuring for patients.

We are exploring other initiatives including music sessions, while we also have calming rooms in our Emergency Departments that provide a gentler environment to support patients with Dementia as well as people with mental health challenges.

Community events this week

As part of Dementia Action Week, NHS Gloucestershire is hosting a range of events across the county to provide information and support for those who may be concerned about their memory or are caring for someone with dementia. These events offer a chance to find out more about getting a diagnosis and the local services available. Details below:

• Sunday 17 May, 11:00am - 2:30pm, “Sangeet Memory Box” Launch of the Hindu Community Playlist to support people with dementia and more... at Stroud Road Community Hub at Rosebank Surgery
• Wednesday 20 May, 11:30am to 1:00pm, One Gloucestershire Dementia Awareness session, St Oswald’s Village
• Wednesday 20 May, Mindsong - Sing 2 Remember
  Venue: Hucclecote Methodist Church, 10:30am - 11:30am
  Venue: Matson Baptist Church, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
• Thursday 21 May, Dementia Awareness session with Dr Jennifer Bute - Her Life Living with Dementia, 10:00am to 12:00pm, Hucclecote Library
• Friday 22 May, Gloucester Dementia Action Alliance, Dementia information, Gloucestershire Dementia Choir and much more! 10:00am to 3:00pm, Gloucestershire Academy of Music, Commercial Road
• Friday 22 May, Mindsong - Sing 2 Remember, 13:30 to 2:30pm, Methodist Church Hall, Churchdown

For more information on these events please contact Managing Memory Together on 0800 694 8800 or managingmemory@ghc.nhs.uk

For more information about dementia, including a useful symptom checker, visit the Alzheimer’s Society website: alzheimers.org.uk.