Worthing Electrical company, SJM Electrical, were approached at Better Biz Worthing in February, about becoming a dementia-friendly company.
Proprietors, Steve and Jacki Mant, thought this was an excellent idea as this would increase their employees knowledge of the disease and make it easier to undertake electrical work within households where a person was living with dementia. Their admin staff also joined in the initiative which helped them understand the role of carers and how difficult it was to ensure they would be visited at a set time as their lives revolved around the person they cared for.
The company have become members of the Alliance and have pledged to make a difference to anyone they know who has dementia with the understanding they have gained from a Dementia Friends session.
Julia Johnson, a member of Worthing’s Dementia Action Steering group said ‘It was a pleasure to deliver a Dementia Friends information to such a keen and receptive group of people. I know they learned quite a bit in a short time and feel sure that when they visit the home of someone with dementia they will have more confidence to respond in a relaxed and friendly manner. Companies can gain a considerable amount from becoming Dementia Friends as managers and owners quite frequently find they have carers in their own workforce who need flexibility to accompany their family members on visits to the doctors, hospitals and dentists for example.’