Friends of the Elderly’s Dementia Champion Dedicated To Caring
At Friends of the Elderly’s Redcot Care Home in Haslemere, Surrey which specialises in residential care, its dedicated Dementia Champion is devoted to providing bespoke and person-focused care for its residents living with dementia.
Lana Boneva, the Dementia Champion at Redcot, is exceptionally passionate about her work and is keen to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that surrounds the condition. Through her daily activities, Lana ensures each and every one of the residents she cares for receives the highest standard of care, support and social interactions by taking the time to understand the individual needs of each person.
Commenting on her role as Redcot’s Dementia Champion, Lana said: “The word ‘dementia’ is a daunting one. To be faced with the loss of your memory, thinking ability, your language and problem-solving skills is an awful thing to go though as your daily life will never be the same.
“I’ve worked for Friends of the Elderly at Redcot for two years and what motivates me is knowing that even the smallest things I can do, make a real difference in providing person-centred care. No day is the same – one day I could be supporting people with daily tasks such as washing, dressing, having a meal or reading the newspaper and another I could be keeping them company to ensure they are enjoying an activity and are safe in what they are doing. I try to introduce familiar, comforting routines as these can help and benefit those people living with dementia, but every day is different as it depends on what our residents want to do and when they want to do it.
“I work closely with our care home’s Activities Co-ordinators to put together a wide range of activities that engage, entertain and stimulate our residents. To make sure our residents like and participate in the activities, I find out their preferences, likes and dislikes as it’s the small details that count, no matter how silly they may seem. This way, I can ensure they have activities tailored to what they want to do.”
Jan Daly, the Manager at Redcot added: “Everyone at both Redcot and Friends of the Elderly believe in seeing the person first and not their diagnosis. Lana is extremely enthusiastic about her work, the residents and ensuring she delivers the highest standard of care and support to everyone she looks after. Lana is totally focused on what our residents can do, rather than what they can no longer do.”
In closing, Lana added: “My role as a Dementia Champion and working with people living with dementia is not just by job, it’s my calling. Being a Dementia Champion is rewarding in so many ways. I meet really interesting people with different stories to tell and through them, I learn something new every day. I get a real sense of achievement when they are happy and smiling. It makes my day – every day.”
