Empowering Greater Manchester families to live as well as they can with dementia.
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Green Room |
Fiona Robinson
Empowered Connector
Volunteer - Age UK Salford and Trafford
Amanda Barrell and Emma Smith
Empowered Carers Senior Practitioner
Age UK Salford and Trafford
Summary
Empowered Connectors is a ‘carers voice’ group made up of people who have or are supporting family members living with dementia. Connectors have completed the Age UK Salford and Trafford’s evidence-based communication courses (Empowered Conversations and Moving Beyond Words) alongside receiving regular one-to-one dementia-focused therapeutic support sessions (Empowered Carers).
Caregivers experience of loss, grievance, moral injury and guilt can be traumatic and life changing, ensuring that caregivers are supported through 'dementia transitions' is vital in creating positive next steps for Caregivers.
“I opened up to Amanda, I’d been holding everything in. I was worried that I was going to explode, I didn’t want my family to worry. I thought that if I held it all in, I could get by”.
The Connectors will share their stories of caring for family members living with dementia and reflect on the difference that ‘Empowered’ support can offer families affected by dementia.