Abacare backs Alzheimer’s Society’s dementia-friendly finance guide
A WELSH care company is supporting the Alzheimer’s Society’s new dementia-friendly finance guide for businesses and has applauded the organisation for its forward-thinking (December, 2018).
The Alzheimer’s Society, with MoneySavingExpert.com founder, Martin Lewis, has launched a dementia-friendly finance and insurance guide to help businesses support people with dementia to manage their finances.
Peter Angelides, Managing Director at Abacare, which has offices in Rhondda Cynon Taf and provides care in the surrounding areas, said: “We believe it is incredibly important that businesses educate themselves on how they can support people with dementia when they are using their services, so we wholeheartedly support the Alzheimer’s Society’s new dementia-friendly finance guide and we’re urging all businesses out there to give it a read and work to incorporate it into their everyday running.
“The guide identifies three main areas where organisations could work to improve their support of people with dementia, this includes improving dementia awareness and training in staff and also supporting any staff with the condition, improving processes to support customers and provide them with better info and sign posting and making the physical environment accessible to people with dementia. This could include making sure there are clear signs to exits, service points and toilets, as well as consistent lighting and seating areas.”
Abacare operates a professional Care Management Team that is committed to providing high quality care to individuals in their own homes.
Its large team of trained, specialist, care workers provide positive based outcomes and person centred care to people throughout Wales but it still needs to find more staff on an on-going basis to deliver the service it provides.
Alzheimer’s Society Chief Executive, Jeremy Hughes, has said on the charity’s website: “Dementia can devastate lives and it is vital that people with dementia are enabled and empowered to live the life they want in their community. Interacting with their bank, financial service provider or insurer can be a challenging process for people living with dementia, their families and carers.
“Not only is it important that they are properly supported, it also makes good business sense to be dementia-friendly. With support and adjustments from financial service providers, people affected can continue to independently manage their finances and access insurance that meets their needs.
“We need the whole sector to unite against dementia by committing to the actions outlined in Alzheimer's Society's dementia-friendly financial services guide and make their employees Dementia Friends, so no one has to face dementia alone.”
Abacare’s core values, instilled into every staff member, include ‘make us proud’, ‘focus on our service users’ wellbeing’, ‘communicate, listen well and speak with respect’, ‘be passionate, honest, caring and considerate’, ‘recruit and develop the very best’ and ‘lead by example’.
It believes it offers inspiring work for inspirational people.
Peter added: “It’s so incredibly important that people with dementia can use the same shops and services as anyone else in their community, especially if they are doing so on their own. It’s all about them being as independent as possible and we believe the new guide is a great step in the right direction. We’re confident about a future full of dementia-friendly services and a greater awareness of the condition.”
Abacare is a member of the United Kingdom Homecare Association, Ceretas (formerly British Association of Domiciliary Care), The National Homecare Council and The Information Commissioners Office (Data Protection). It is also registered with the Care Social Services Inspectorate Wales.
It has been awarded an Investors in People accolade for its staff training and development.
Investors in People is a national standard, which provides a framework that helps organisations to improve performance and realise objectives through the effective management and development of their staff.
For more information about Abacare, please call 01443 742645 or visit www.abacare.org.uk. Alternatively, please follow the company on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/Yn4zmS or on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/visitabacare.
