EDINBURGH Woollen Mill has joined a growing list of shops and businesses in Barnard Castle to become dementia-friendly.
Staff from the store recently underwent training from the Alzheimer’s Society that will help them not only help customers living with the disease, but their loved ones too.
Andrea Gipps, from Edinburgh Woollen Mill, said: “It was very informative. It is handy for me because my nana has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia. We can look for the stages and help her.” Michelle Reed, from the store, added: “A lot of our customers are elderly and there are a few that we know have dementia.”
Mrs Gipps added: “Since our dementia training we have more understanding of the disease. In store we are aware of the difficulties they face day-to-day so we try to make their visit to Edinburgh Woollen Mill as comfortable and stress-free as possible, ensuring they have a better shopping experience.”
Barnard Castle Town Council has also signed up to a scheme that hopes to make it a dementia-friendly town, and Nicky Tullock, a former dementia advisor for the Alzheimer's Society, said a number of businesses have already undergone training and will soon display signs in their shop windows.
These include Barclays Bank, Fat Face and Meikles Solicitors.
