Empowering Our South Devon Communities Through Dementia Awareness: A Successful Three-Day Training Event
In May, we were delighted to host the Dementia Simulator experience in collaboration with Train2Care, visiting Plymouth, Torquay, and Totnes. Thanks to great weather on the first day at Marshmills in Plymouth, we had an inspiring start, meeting many local residents and supporters. Attendees included people caring for loved ones with dementia, members of the Mount Gould Dementia Advisor Service, dedicated care professionals, volunteers from Elder Tree at Cattedown, and members of the public eager to deepen their understanding of this complex syndrome.
Day two in Torquay was less sunny, but our enthusiasm remained unshaken. We welcomed passionate participants, including representatives from the local Age UK team and the Paignton Memory Cafe, all committed to raising awareness and fostering community support for those affected by dementia.
Our final day in Totnes was blessed with glorious sunshine. It was wonderful to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and spend meaningful time reflecting on how dementia impacts lives. We shared the experience with local GP surgery teams from Catherine House and Leatside, as well as members of the public from Dartmouth, Dartington, and surrounding villages to Totnes. Many of those who attended had personal experiences supporting family members or friends with dementia and were eager to learn how they could help.
Our goal is clear: to strengthen community connections so that individuals living with dementia feel less isolated and more included. Over the three days, our hearts were full, and our minds brimming with ideas, fuelled by the incredible stories and dedication of everyone we met. From our office-based teams in Plympton and Torquay to our Care Experts working across Plymouth, Southam’s, Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, and Totnes, our commitment is to care with compassion and understanding.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated, shared their stories, and helped us take meaningful steps toward supporting those living with dementia in our communities. We are excited to return next year with more dementia simulator community training days and look forward to welcoming even more people eager to learn and make a difference. We will make the dates for 2026 available on the website soon.
