Young and old celebrate Dementia Awareness Week

Barchester Healthcare's Queen's Court care home in Wimbledon has played host to children from nearby Bishop Gilpin Primary School, to celebrate Dementia Awareness Week (4-10 July).

Barchester Healthcare and the Alzheimer's Society, launched new children's books written by agony aunt Virginia Ironside at the home. The schoolchildren visited Queen's Court to be the first to read 'Visiting Grandad's new home' and 'Visiting Gran's new home' written to explain to a child what dementia is.

The original and beautifully illustrated books explore the very special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, and are available free of charge from Barchester Healthcare care homes nationwide and the Barchester Healthcare website.

Author of the books Virginia Ironside explains: "Children are tremendously resilient when it comes to death and, indeed, dementia, which is why I wrote, for a couple of friendly books for children trying to explain why their grandparent is in a care home – and what to expect when they go to visit.

"With an aging population and more people experiencing dementia than ever before, it's right that children should be told that dementia is not necessarily frightening, and that their grandparents, although they may appear confused and muddled, often still recognise their grandchildren and can continue to have some kind of relationship with them."

General Manager, Shaaron Caratella of Queens Court said: "Today has been all about educating children and it has been great fun for everyone. It has been a great honour to have an exclusive reading by the author in our home."

Read more about Barchester's dementia care homes.