St Helens dementia pub group 'values every person'
As soon as you walk in to a pub which hosts a dementia support group the condition "goes out of the window", a volunteer has said. Every Friday morning the Gerard Arms in St Helens is transformed into the Loving Arms group, which aims to create a community of people who understand what it is like to live with dementia.Joanne McKenna who helps run it said they "sing, do bingo and quizzes" and chat about "everything and anything" over a cup of tea."Each person is valued and loved so much," she said.
Ken Halliwell who attends the group, said: "It's great because all of us have got the same, or half of it or some of it so we all understand each other."One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime, while one in four support others living with dementia, according to Alzheimer's UK.
Jan Barrow's husband went into a care home three weeks ago and she continues to attend the group to support other members. "We've been coming here a couple of years now and it's absolutely amazing," she said."We've made so many wonderful friends, and even though he's gone in I still come because you can give advice or help other people."Last month BBC broadcaster Tony Snell lost his mother Eileen, who died with vascular dementia.He said a group like the Loving Arms would have been a "massive benefit" for her.
"It's been difficult, it's been a relief as well because we knew it was coming. Vhat a journey of highs, lows, sadness, frustration, anger but laughter," he said. "We didn't get a manual because I don't think there is one but we kind of did it together and got through it together."
'Fear of the condition'
Mr Snell said, for his mum's generation, there was "a certain amount of shame" attached to the diagnosis which meant she was not able to benefit from community support groups like the Loving Arms."I think there was a denial to a certain degree," he said."She wouldn't even mention the word Alzheimers or dementia. She used to forget things and say, 'I think I'm getting a touch of the other'. "It was a fear of the name, a fear of the condition, but a session like this would have been a massive benefit to my mum."
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