A Paisley shopkeeper whose mother has been diagnosed with dementia has been raising a cuppa - and awareness of the disease - with her customers.
Laura Maney, who runs the News Express, has been speaking up about her experiences after taking part in the Paisley-wide Tea and Blether event.
Held earlier today on International Alzheimer’s Day, the campaign aims to raise awareness of dementia and funds for Alzheimer Scotland.
Just over a dozen businesses in Paisley pledged to stick the kettle on for customers so they could discuss the illness and the impact it has had on their loved ones and the wider community.
But for Laura the campaign has been much more personal as her mum Pat was diagnosed dementia two years ago.
“She is 65 and was diagnosed a couple of years ago so it was definitely early onset dementia,” Laura said.
“When mum was diagnosed it felt like a death sentence, as awful as that sounds.
“You know it’s going to get worse, that they are not going to get better.
“It took me a while to get my head around it. I went through a stage of denial. I didn’t want to deal with it because I didn’t know how to deal with it.”
Two years on Laura is much more equipped to cope with Pat’s illness after accessing a wealth of information and advice from charities such as Alzheimer Scotland.
The 30-year-old has been learning more and more about the support available for people living with dementia and their families and contacting organisations for advice when faced with new challenges.
Laura, who lives in Elderslie, added: “I feel very strongly that people who are experiencing dementia, their friends and loved ones, they need to know about the resources that are there to help them.
“I really didn’t know anything at the time. Mum was diagnosed two years ago and it as taken me to this point for me to find clubs that she can go to, to know about the phone numbers and email addresses that I can contact for advice.
“I really didn’t know how to deal with this, how to approach the subject but there are people out there whose job is to know about it and be able to help people.
“I’m very passionate about getting the word out there that people with dementia are just like everyone else and they deserve to be treated like everyone else.”
A total of 13 businesses took part in the Tea and Blether event with staff from all the outlets having already undergone “dementia-friendly” training with Alzheimer Scotland earlier this year.
Collectively, they hope their training, together with increased awareness, will give Renfrewshire people with dementia and their carers the confidence to shop in the Paisley town centre knowing they will be understood and supported.
The business owners were taught to look for possible signs of dementia and above all to be patient with people who may take longer to make their way around a shop or to take time finding the right word or phrase when speaking.
They have also learned of the different support agencies that are available, which they can signpost customers to if they may need some advice and support.
Laura said: “For anyone diagnosed with dementia it must be a crushing feeling. You know it’s not going to go away, that it’s only going to get progressively worse.
“Mum is pretty positive but she’s allowed to be sad, of course.
“It doesn’t matter if she forgets me, I am still going to be there and I am always going to love her.”
Dementia is an umbrella term for over 100 different types of illnesses and disease symptoms.
It is not part of the natural ageing process and affects the brain, making it harder to remember things or think as clearly as before.
Symptoms of dementia may include memory loss and difficulties with day-to-day tasks, language and problem-solving.
The businesses that took part in Tea and Blether - backed by Paisley First - include The Bull Inn, Kennedy’s, Nomad’s Coffee House, Taste Buds, Tastie & Co, Whisky Joe’s, William Hill, Shopmobility Paisley and District, Rainbow Turtle, the Print Centre, News Express and John Mackay Jewellers.
Colette Cardosi, chair of Paisley First, said: “It’s been great to see our first Tea and Blether event here in Paisley town centre so well supported by the businesses and our local community. It’s important that we all work together to make the town centre accessible for those living with dementia and their carers.
“We look forward to continuing to work with Alzheimer’s Scotland to help even more businesses undergo dementia friends training and make the town centre a place that welcomes everyone.”
•For more information visit https://www.alzscot.org/
