The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole partnered with Colten Care to receive staff training in order to have a better understanding of dementia, as well as the different types of dementia.
Colten Care provided a Dementia Friends information session with the Dolphin’s management team in order for the shopping centre to continue its journey to becoming a more dementia-friendly centre.
The training equipped members of staff to be able to respond to the needs and challenges facing individuals living with dementia with more confidence. The session provided a wider understanding of the various stages of the disease.
John Grinnell, centre manager at the Dolphin Shopping Centre, commented: “We’re very grateful to Colten Care for delivering a Dementia Friends training session with our staff. It’s very important that as a leading shopping centre, we have a thorough understanding of how even the smallest of actions can make a difference to those living with dementia.
“The Dolphin is proud to support incentives to help make shopping more inclusive and enhance our accessibility. It was clear in the training session that every single person in attendance has been affected by dementia in some way, whether through a friend, parent or grandparent and everyone’s experience is so diverse.”
Dementia Friends is a programme led by the Alzheimer’s Society, designed to change people’s perception of dementia. Colten Care supports the Dementia Friends programme and helps to deliver the training. With more than 30 years’ experience, Colten Care operates care homes across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire.
Helen Lacey, senior customer advisor at Colten Care, commented: “We really enjoyed providing training to the Dolphin as they are in ideal position to help their customers with dementia live well within the wider community. There will be one million people with dementia in the UK by 2025 according to Alzheimer’s Society, so it’s important to us to continue our outreach programme and benefit local communities.
“The Dolphin’s journey to becoming a dementia-friendly shopping centre is ongoing and we’re looking forward to continuing to support their progress.”
The Dolphin will also be undergoing training with Mencap later this year, the UK-based charity for people with a learning disability, in order to continue to improve its accessibility.
For more information about the Dolphin Shopping Centre, visit www.dolphinshoppingcentre.co.uk