Home Instead Sutton Coldfield are celebrating after their town was awarded Dementia Friendly Community Status 2023 by the Alzheimer’s Society.

A Dementia Friendly Community is a place where people with Dementia are understood, respected and supported, and with one in 14 people over the age of 65 living with dementia and often not knowing where to go for support, Home Instead Sutton Coldfield were keen to play a part in achieving the status for the town.

As part of the Sutton Coldfield Steering Group, a diverse group of individuals and support services, Home Instead helped fulfil the several criteria that communities must work towards as part of the recognition process, notably with their local memory cafes which they host three times a week.

Forming part of a wider ‘Key to Care’ campaign which provides sessions in the community offering advice on a range of topics, the cafes help families facing the challenges that follow a dementia diagnosis, with a wealth of advice, along with the opportunity to take part in activities and socialise with people facing similar circumstances.

Aman Gill, owner of Home Instead Sutton Coldfield said: “We feel really proud to have played a part in our community achieving Dementia Friendly Status and feel the work we do, such as our memory cafes are a great way of supporting this”.

He continued: “Part of the criteria of achieving the status was to develop a strong voice for people with dementia who live in our community, so they feel heard, and our memory cafes are perfect for this. They allow individuals and their families to come along and ask questions, socialise and feel reassured that they’re not alone. Whatever challenges Dementia presents, there are others who have experienced the same struggles and our cafes are a chance for people to share advice on getting through it”.

Home Instead Sutton Coldfield hosts three memory cafes a week: 

• Monday at Erdington Methodist Church, Wesley Road (off Station Road) B23 6TX 10am - 1pm
• Tuesday at All Saints Church Centre, Belwell Lane, Four Oaks, B74 4TR 10am – 1pm
• Friday at Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church, South Parade, B72 1QY 10am - 1pm

Home Instead Sutton Coldfield’s care includes personal care, such as help with dressing and bathing, home help and companionship.

For more information on Home Instead’s care or career opportunities, please call 0121 323 4200 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/sutton-coldfield. The team will also be happy to answer any questions you may have on their Memory Cafes or the wider Key to Care initiative.

Pictured: One of Home Instead's memory cafes