Carers for people living with dementia influence how the Welsh Ambulance Service understands the needs of dementia carers

Carers from tide and the Welsh Ambulance Service have been working together to improve awareness of dementia carers for ambulance staff. A 40-minute podcast sharing stories from dementia carers is available for ambulance staff to listen to, giving an insight into carers’ experiences of supporting loved ones living with dementia.

Alison Johnstone, Programme Manager for Dementia at the Welsh Ambulance Service said,

“Hearing first-hand from carers who support their loved ones with dementia is proving so valuable to increase awareness of the day to day impact of caring and challenges that carers are faced with” 

The podcast covers important issues such as early signs and symptoms of dementia, assessment, and diagnosis, to coping with the daily responsibilities of caring. Carers also share their experiences and thoughts on how we can improve communication in emergencies, as well as how we can value the role of carers more.

The carers involved in developing this podcast commented, 

“thank you for this opportunity to participate in this work, sharing our voices and stories with others will go a long way to helping others understand and appreciate our roles and how valuable we are in caring for our loved ones.”