Trail Blazing ‘Dementia Friendly’ Llanelli

Llanelli Market has won the highest praise for trail blazing and becoming the first ‘Dementia Friendly’ market in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Older Peoples’ Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, toured Llanelli Market and town centre to witness herself the tremendous strides being made to make the whole community more dementia aware. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said: “It is wonderful to see after all the good work that older people just don’t visit their town market in Llanelli but feel included and are warmly welcomed there too.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs Rochira joined dementia training that was taking place, spoke to traders and businesses, saw Ty Golau Dementia Friends Group in action and visited Ffwrnes Theatre and the Hub to witness dementia work there too. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Accompanied by Carmarthenshire County Council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole and Executive Board Member for health and social care, Cllr Jane Tremlett, Mrs Rochira said: “Having heard about all the positive work about dementia in Llanelli I just had to come and see it for myself.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Tremlett said: “Carmarthenshire Dementia Action Board has been raising awareness, and signposting on how to respond is a key element of their role. Our aim is to create a dementia friendly county and the commitment of the Llanelli Market traders is a tremendous boost to that ambition. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Raising awareness of dementia in Carmarthenshire is extremely challenging with people living longer and the number of dementia suffers expected to double in the next generation from the current known figures approaching 6,000 to more than 12,000 over 20 years.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​