Alzheimers Authority teams up with Wilthsire Farm Foods

With an ever increasing elderly population, a home meal delivery service like Wiltshire Farm Foods you can depend and trust in is a critical element for those wishing to retain their independence and carry on living in their own homes.

There are 700, 000 people in the UK with dementia, an umbrella term which describes a serious deterioration in mental functions such as memory, language, orientation and judgment. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for around two thirds of cases in the elderly,when nerve cells in the brain die off without being replaced, so messages are not effectively relayed.

Symptoms include putting things in odd places, and problems with everyday tasks, often denying that anything is wrong or out of the ordinary as often sufferers have no recollection of doing it. You may notice g eneral disorientation, such as failing to recognise familiar streets and frequently becoming confused about the time of day, and difficulty finding words, or using inappropriate words.

A diminished sense of judgment may mean sufferers find it difficult to dress appropriately for the weather or assess what time it is, and may be unaware of dangerous situations they may find themselves in. The ensuing distress and confusion at their own behaviour causes mood or behavioral problems which may resemble depression; usually a mixture of agitation, irritability, apathy and lack of care with personal hygiene.

As symptoms become more apparent it can be exhausting or distressing for carers, but charities like Alzheimer’s Support based in Wiltshire can help, providing information, advice and relief care service giving carers a well-deserved break as well as a number of day care and social clubs.

These clubs are like a home from home with a high staff to patient ratio, offering members the freedom to do whatever activities they fancy, be it gardening, shopping, or going to the library or hairdressers - helping to reinforce a sense of routine and reduce the effects of ensuing depression by keeping their minds and bodies active.

Anna Littlechild manages Alzheimer’s Support in Trowbridge: “I worked in a residential care home for years but had no idea of the everyday difficulties people faced in the community when a loved one developed dementia”.

Anna agreed to visit the frozen meals home delivery specialists Wiltshire Farm Foods outlet in Trowbridge, giving a talk to drivers on Alzheimer’s, how to recognise the symptoms, manage them and make their deliveries as enjoyable as possible for both parties.

“Often sufferers will not recognise the driver’s face or remember they now have meals delivered – as far as they are concerned they may still be completely independent. Understandably it can be very frightening or frustrating not to remember, so it is key you use their proper names and perhaps mention the family member that organises the meals for them.

“It’s great to see a company making an active effort to understand and care for an increasing sphere of their customer base - a new case of Alzheimers is diagnosed every 14 minutes, with a new case of dementia every 3.2 minutes.”

 All Wiltshire Farm Foods drivers wear uniform and carry ID with them, and will always identify themselves. If you have meals delivered for a friend, relative or are a carer looking for a quick, healthy and nutritious dinner option for a client to maximise your care time you can assign any special instructions for their drivers in the Special Instructions box just before you checkout at www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com

Jason Coles, delivery driver says: “It was really helpful to talk to an expert, as we’ve all seen the signs and recognise when we might need to inform family members about the welfare of one of our customers, but it’s good to know the best way to deal with the situation. Sometimes us popping in with the delivery could be the highlight of someone’s day, and we’d like to keep it that way - for all our customers, whatever their situation.”

Long-term care for older people with cognitive impairment currently costs England and Wales £4.6 billion. By 2031 this is expected to rise by more than 130 percent to £10.9 billion. Currently in the UK only £5.5m is spent on research, compared to £188.4m for forms of cancer.

Alzheimers Support is a charitable organisation, for further information or to make a donation please visit www.alzheimerswiltshire.org.uk , or for more information on the condition and for details of support in your local area please visit http://www.alzheimers.org.uk .