Why has an energy company like SSE teamed up with the Dementia Services Development Centre [DSDC] at University of Stirling to produce this book? It’s a good question and one which we all need to start thinking more seriously about.
The incidence of dementia is rising in the UK and the UN now classifies it as a global health risk. Symptoms include memory loss, difficulties with tasks and finding the right words.
At SSE our job is to provide energy to millions of people in the UK and as a service provider we have a responsibility to all our customers to help where we can.
It’s why we’ve funded this book: 10 Helpful hints on heating and lighting for people with dementia and their carers. It offers an insight into some of the small changes that can make a big difference and help those with dementia live at home for longer.
These include the fact that excessive heat can cause dehydration, confusion and lethargy. It can also be hard for those with dementia to notice they are too hot – or indeed too cold – and to do anything about it.
Another tip from the book is that inactivity can cause some people to get colder. Conversely other people with dementia may prefer very warm temperatures and will therefore need extra drinks to compensate for fluid loss.
Alerts and sensors can now be installed and controlled remotely from smart devices to regulate temperature effectively in the home. We want to encourage our customers to look at the technology that’s available.
But there is more SSE can do and we are now providing specialist training for our customer facing staff so they can best meet the needs of people with dementia and their families. So far, we’ve put 40 customer service employees in Scotland through the training, with more sessions planned in England and Wales.
We see our partnership with DSDC as the start of a long journey, on which we will learn more about how we can help our customers. SSE is proud to fund this publication but we know that plenty of hard work lies ahead.