The Preston Group played host to two presentations; one by Jason Hogson from the Alzheimer’s Society on ‘Dementia Awareness’ and the other by Ernie Greenhalgh, the Provincial Grand Almoner, on the new care structure ‘Freemasons in the Community’. Lodge members, their partners and personal guests together with almoners from other lodges experienced two excellent presentations.
Pictured from left to right, are: Ernie Greenhalgh, Jason Hogson and Paul Webster.
A welcome to the evening was given by Paul Webster, Deputy to the Provincial Grand Almoner, who after a brief explanation of the programme for the evening introduced Jason a Dementia Friends Champion.
Jason by way of introducing himself explained the role of a dementia friend’s champion, the aim as a volunteer was to encourage others to make a positive difference to people living with dementia in their community.
Jason said that more people who suffer from Dementia are over 65 have dementia, but it is not exclusively an older person’s disease; younger people get dementia too. With support, people with dementia can still communicate and live well with medication as it is a disease of the brain, not a memory loss. The most common is Alzheimer’s which can affect the short term memory. The more people understand what it is, can get help to get a diagnosis, enabling them to be helped and supported.
Finally Jason gave information on how we may help a person with dementia, to analyse the persons change in behaviour, to think about how we can help them to cope with their situation and make adaptions for their needs.
The four members of the Provincial care team covering the Preston group were in attendance along with the Provincial Grand Almoner, Ernie Greenhalgh and his deputy Paul Webster. Ernie introduced the members of the care to the 46 brethren and ladies attending the meeting. The second presentation was a video that outlined the support available from the Masonic Charitable Foundation and the changes made recently to the care structure.
In the video, Ernie say’s the changes to the care structure made in October 2015 were aimed at freeing the almoner’s time by streamlining the system, enabling them by making regular visits, to establish needs then pass this information on to the admin care officer. The care officers are then to act as administrators responsible for applications to provide support for Freemasons or their dependants who find themselves in distress.
Pictured from left to right, are: David Asbridge Pastoral Care Officer, Peter Fish Admin and PR Care Officer, Steve Bolton group chairman, Ernie Greenhalgh, Paul Webster, Bob Stafford Admin Care Officer and Alan Howarth Admin and PR Care Officer.
The lodge almoners are now able to spend more time on active care, making home visits of say four to six times a year to Masonic widows. In making these more frequent visits, the almoner is able to consider how he may help. If it is down to loneliness or the person is in despair, requiring help with their living costs, or is in need of health care or help to educate children, the care officers can channel the request to one of the central charities or to the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity.
There is also an message in the video from Dame Esther Rantzen who explains how loneliness affects people, particularly the elderly and how ‘The Silver Line’ launched at the end of 2013, includes a befriending service to help combat loneliness.
The role of the almoner is a vital part of lodge life, not just to manage financial needs, but to deal with loneliness and isolation as well. Elderly people may go for days without seeing or talking to someone by just making a phone call to them can make a big difference in their life.
After the video Peter Fish and Bob Stafford answered questions from the audience on behalf of the team.
If you have a commitment to care, more of these presentations are planned to take place around the Province and almoners and brethren are encouraged to attend one, where more understanding about dementia and how we can turn our understanding into action. Every action counts.
The audience listening intently.