The W3 band provided the entertainment at Brickworks community centre, while Kick Off With a Verse used poetry to spark discussions about the experience of being a carer

THE first signs of memory loss are frightening for a dementia patient’s loved ones, and even more so for the person themselves.

“It can be a huge strain on a family but a lot of people don’t talk about dementia,” said Amy Cox, practice manager at Stroud Green Medical Centre, who last week organised a community event for dementia patients and carers to introduce them to support services and reinforce the message that nobody has to suffer alone.

Co-organised with and held at Brickworks community centre, this was a first of its kind event for the Stroud Green practice, which featured live music from The W3 band and local services including Age UK, Carers Hub and Kick Off With a Verse, a group that uses poetry to spark discussions about the experience of being a carer.

“It’s about bringing everything together so people can come in, have a longer appointment with the doctor, talk about their health, meet people and listen to music. Everybody that came in was looking for that support,” said Ms Cox, an Islington resident who has worked at the practice for 15 years.

“We want to make people aware that it’s not just for the patients themselves but for carers as well, and what they can access to make everyone’s life easier.

“It’s also about social isolation because it can be quite isolating for elderly patients at home who aren’t aware of what’s going on in the area.”

Around 20 patients attended the inaugural event as well as some elderly residents who had concerns about their memory and were able to spend time with a GP.

“There were a few nice points I witnessed – patients who made friends with each other and started inviting each other to events at Brickworks,” added Ms Cox.

“I think there should be more events like this, bridging the gap between care and the community. And it shows we can put something together with little resources and time and get some amazing feedback from patients.”

Ms Cox hopes to replicate the event in future, not just for dementia patients, but to tackle isolation among elderly people more generally.