Physiotherapy students hear how Time for Dementia scheme can make a difference

Physiotherapy and nursing students at the University of Chichester taking part in the pioneering Time For Dementia scheme met with a person with dementia last week as part of their preparations.

The students met Gordon Barclay, 79, and his wife Alison as part of their degree ahead of their first home visits to spend time with people with the life-changing disease.

This educational programme involves students visiting patients in their home several times to build a better understanding of the skills needed to look after them.

In preparation, Louisa Young from The Alzheimer’s Society arranged for one couple to visit the university to talk to students about how to get the best from the experience.

Gordon, who has lived with dementia for the past 12 years, and his wife Alison, spoke to students and invited questions about the visits.

“It’s important to ask questions and have a plan for conversation,” said Alison. “Often we chat with students so much that it’s a case of: ‘shouldn’t you have gone by now!’ But you should plan to turn up and talk. Remember the carers are invaluable. They can help and react if a patient isn’t understanding the situation. We want to take part because it’s nice to feel we are making a difference for future health professionals.”

Gordon added: “It’s nice to have people coming in and asking questions. I like people, I just go with it and we’ve met a lot of nice people through the scheme.”

Students also quizzed Gordon about his children, his career as chief accountant at Wiley publishing house, and his hobbies sailing and Scottish country dancing.

Matthew Grant, a first-year physiotherapy student at Chichester, said: “Visiting a family with dementia is an interesting prospect. It will be intriguing learning how to interact in that situation and I’m hoping to gain a better understanding of different health conditions.”

Degree-level nursing students at the university are in the second year of the scheme already but BSc Physio students and PGDip nursing students will also now take part, with their first visits coming up in the next few weeks.

Becky Fillery, Lecturer in Physiotherapy at the University of Chichester, said: “Having Gordon and Alison visit the students has really helped them to understand better why they are embarking on this project.

“Our BSc Physiotherapy and PGDip Nursing students have been given all the vital information for setting up their visits and the expectations of the families, the university and the students themselves. They are engaged and excited to learn more about how to communicate with people with a dementia and what the lived experience is truly like through time with the families.

“This is going to give them key skills they can take forward into their clinical practice and help improve the care they provide to patients with a dementia.”

If you are affected by dementia and would like to take part in the programme, please email us at Timefordementia@alzheimers.org.uk or phone 07562 430204