Dementia tour bus rolls up in Wigan to spread awareness of condition

Norley Hall Care Home, part of the family-run and award-winning Millennium Care Group, hired the bus to provide staff, residents, loved ones and those in their community a chance to experience what symptoms of the condition are like.

The method, which is scientifically and medically proven, allows people to enter the world of a person living with dementia to gain a better understanding. It also highlights simple changes that can be made to improve the lives of people with the illness.

The home’s activity coordinator Julia Entwistle said: “I think it’s been an incredible activity showing people a whole new perspective around dementia. I noted a lot of families who could go on the bus expressed that they had learnt so much from the experience.

“Some families were moved to tears because they recognised the struggle their loved ones go through every day”

Kathryn Rimmer, Home Manager at the home, said: “I think the bus is a real eye-opener and puts us in the shoes of our residents who live with dementia every day. We can only emphasise with the challenges they have. It gives us an insightful perspective on the condition.

“The feedback received from staff and families was great and they’d highly recommend the experience. It heightens people’s awareness and helps them understand how best to approach different situations effectively.”

Research from the NHS states that 438,213 patients had a recorded disgnosis of dementia on February 2023, an increase of more than 6,000 since January 31.

Learn more about Norley Hall Care Home here, and learn more about the Dementia Tour Bus here.