GINA SHAW:
Co-chair of SURF
[00:00:01] He’s going to get the Diddy Men in.
TOMMY DUNNE:
Co-chair of SURF
[00:00:05] An old Ken Dodd joke:
[00:00:06] Your brain’s a wonderful thing; starts working the minute you’re born and doesn’t stop until you get to speak in public.
GINA SHAW:
[00:00:16] And he uses that all the time.
TOMMY DUNNE:
[00:00:17] I do [laughter].
[00:00:21] A Window of Opportunity
TOMMY DUNNE:
[00:00:28] When you think that a third of people with dementia in this country live alone in the house, we want to come out into shops, enjoy the aromas in the cafes and we need transport to actually get us here.
[00:00:40] We’re actually working with the bus operating companies who’ve asked us to go into the depots and talk to the bus drivers so that they will have an understanding.
GINA SHAW:
[00:00:48] Yes, so that we can encourage people to be able to go out on their own on buses and feel safe.
[00:00:55] Goodison Park Stadium
PRESENTER:
[00:00:58] SURF is a Liverpool-based group made up of people living with dementia, carers and professionals who meet once a month to drive forward changes in local services and the community.
DR SARAH BUTCHARD:
Clinical Psychologist, Mossley Hill Hospital
[00:01:09] I’ve worked in dementia services for a while and I’ve always felt that people can live positively with dementia.
[00:01:14] But people with dementia have got the best view of anyone of what people with dementia need.
[00:01:19] If we really listen to what it is that they’re bringing, we can truly develop the services that are going to meet their needs and enable them to have the best quality of life that is possible.
STANLEY LIMBERT:
Member of SURF
[00:01:29] It makes a big difference. It certainly makes a difference to me as an individual, because I’m getting more of an insight and I have some influence.
PART & DAWN:
Carers & members of SURF
[00:01:36] We work on practical solutions to problems that we all encounter.
[00:01:41] We just want somewhere where we can go and express our feelings and get things done.
GINA SHAW:
[00:01:47] We asked members of SURF what shops and business that they might like us to look at.
[00:01:53] What we did was contact all of those places and invite them to an event here at the Town Hall.
TOMMY DUNNE:
[00:01:59] The people that came were top managers, people who could actually change policy within their own shops.
GINA SHAW:
[00:02:04] It’s empowering people living with dementia, and their carers, to be able to feel that they can go into these premises, into these businesses and be treated well.
[00:02:17] We know that dementia is a progressive condition but we’re making the most of it while we can.
TOMMY DUNNE:
[00:02:22] We know we haven’t got ten or twenty years with Gina but we’re realistic.
[00:02:28] We know we’ve got a window of opportunity and the chance through the SURF people to actually help.
[00:02:32] One of the best things I ever heard one fellow say to me was “You’ve inspired me, you’ve given me hope,” and I thought that’s what we want.
SURF Liverpool is one of over 50 groups led by people with dementia around the UK who are working hard to achieve change in their communities