Dealing with dementia patients

VOLUNTEER community visitors learned how to communicate with people suffering from dementia at a training event last month.
The event, at Lyrebird Village for the Aged in Drouin, was delivered by Rosemary Joiner, program co-ordinator from the Multiple Sclerosis Limited (MS) Community Visitors Scheme (CVS).
“I feel very passionately that we, as a community, should be doing everything we can to learn about dementia,” Ms Joiner said.
“As we all live longer, every one of us will have to deal with dementia in one way or another. Knowing how to communicate with a loved one who is living with dementia – the practicalities and the emotions that come with it – is enormously important.”
The Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) is a national program that provides companionship to socially or culturally isolated people living in Australian Government-subsidised aged care homes or receiving home care. Multiple Sclerosis Limited (MS) has been an auspice of the Community Visitor Scheme since 1992, and has matched up to 600 residents with volunteers. Anyone interested in becoming a community visitor can apply online at www.communityvisitorsscheme.org.au or can call Rosemary on 0409 287 242.