CARING colleagues at a St Helens veterinary practice have been praised for their support of pet owners with dementia.
Rutland House Veterinary Hospital cares for a number of pets belonging to clients who have dementia, and the team has been working on ways to ensure they feel safe and supported.
As part of their efforts, Rutland House Vets teamed up with Alzheimer’s Society which provides training for businesses on understanding the needs of people with dementia to help improve communication with those suffering symptoms such as memory loss and confusion and needing help with daily tasks and language and understanding.
Head Vet Steph Walsh and receptionists Rachel Sutton, Jeanette Hughes, Emma Harding and Liz Lynam underwent the special training, and the practice has introduced a range of measures at its main hospital in Abbotsfield Road to support pet owners with dementia, including big, clear signs to direct them to the reception desk.
It is estimated that almost one million people are living with dementia in the UK but more than a third of people with the condition don’t have a diagnosis.
Rutland House Vets Clinical Director Janie Clare said: “We’ve experienced a few cases where clients have arrived at the practice in a confused state, and we also had a client who kept trying to order medication when their dog no longer needed it.
“We have such a caring and supportive team here and they could see there was a need for us to understand how to communicate with clients living with dementia and ensure a dementia-friendly client experience.
“Having a sound understanding of how to communicate and reassure people with dementia is important for both the client and their pet.”
The practice, which is part of the VetPartners group of veterinary practices and animal healthcare companies, has been praised by Alzheimer’s Society which offers training for businesses all over the UK.
Kathryn Hardwick, Training and Partnerships Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “People with dementia can find caring for an animal to be a source of support and comfort. A person living with dementia can also benefit from the companionship and friendship from keeping a pet, and caring for the pet may also provide a sense of purpose. Dementia training across all sectors including customer facing services like veterinary practices are vitally important in promoting an inclusive, supportive environment to all.
“We are delighted that Rutland House have taken part in our online dementia training and congratulate them on demonstrating their commitment to supporting their customers living with dementia. A big thank you to Rutland House for taking a positive step towards being more inclusive of customers with dementia and raising awareness of dementia within their organisation.”
The dementia training is the latest initiative at Rutland House Vets to be as inclusive as possible to provide best possible service and care for clients.
Team members have also attended training to gain a greater understanding of challenges faced by people with hearing loss.
Receptionist Rachel Sutton signed up to do a British Sign Language Level One course after taking part in the session and the practice has also installed hearing loops, an assistive listening system that helps make public premises welcoming to people with hearing loss.