Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, has praised local charity, Dementia Care, as she visited their Brunswick Village centre which is located within her constituency. 

She said: ‘I’ve been so impressed with what I have seen; the people here are obviously really enjoying the services the centre offers and benefiting enormously. They have spoken really positively about the range of services Dementia Care offers, including the specialised housing which helps the people who come here to have a sense of independence’.

Leading dementia charity, Dementia Care, opened its doors to MP Catherine McKinnell to show her their ground breaking work in the field of dementia care and support. The award winning charity offers a number of facilities to those living with dementia and to the people who care for them: a day facility that runs five days a week, independent supported living specialised housing, residential respite care and specialist home support.

Head of Best Practice, Carol Brown showed Catherine McKinnell around the facilities, where the MP engaged with many of the residents as they went about their daily activities. Carol also introduced Catherine to Lillian Robson, 88, who has been living with dementia, in one of the 8 purpose built bungalows run by Dementia Care.

Lillian’s daughter, Susan Brewis, told Catherine about how her own and her mother’s life have been changed for the better by Dementia Care, ‘being in a small self contained unit here makes her feel like she’s in her own home. She can have her own things here, get up when she likes, cook if she wants to under supervision and they even have a cat which they all love!’

Carol Brown showed the MP how they manage the facility, and also talked about the challenges they are facing in today’s current economic climate. After a recent announcement by Newcastle City Council of proposed cuts to adult social care funding, Dementia Care has been lobbying the local authority and the MP agreed to continue to raise her concerns about the social care funding gap at a national level.

‘What’s so special about this service is that it is so absolutely tailored to people with dementia’, said Catherine. ‘Having done the Dementia Friends training and from my visit here, I have seen that each person, and each family of those living with dementia, face unique challenges.

‘This is the sort of care and service that you would hope everyone could have for their loved ones .’