A WORCESTERSHIRE supermarket is one of a handful across the country and the only one in the West Midlands to offer a new dementia friendly shopping lane.
Supermarket giant Tesco has started introducing the facility in a few selected stores across the country to make shopping a more relaxed experience for those with dementia as well as other shoppers.
The new checkout called ‘the relaxed lane’ has been introduced at the Kidderminster Tesco Superstore and is clearly signed as a slower lane and has been decluttered to make it less distracting when passing through with shopping.
Every cashier on the lane understands the purpose of it and the store is working on providing dementia friends sessions for cashiers to equip them with a better understanding of dementia.
So far more than 50 of the store staff have become dementia friends. Dementia friends is a one-hour introduction to dementia that informs people about the different types of diseases that cause dementia and how it affects people.
There is also information about dementia alongside the till as well as a chart showing the different denominations and shapes of coins.
People living with dementia, members of the Kidderminster Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) and Alzheimer’s Society staff worked with Tesco to assess the best way to create a relaxed lane. These findings were then taken on board by the supermarket.
Anita Fenton from Kidderminster supports her husband who has dementia. She said: "The lane is a good thing to have because it takes a lot of the stress out of shopping and people will be much more patient. The lane itself is quite wide and accessible. This will be much better for people living with dementia."
Andy Faull, store manager of the Kidderminster Tesco Superstore, said: "I'm really proud to introduce the relaxed lane and I hope that this raises awareness about dementia while also providing a happier shopping experience for all those living with dementia in Kidderminster."
The new relaxed lane was opened at the Kidderminster store last week and around 25 people affected by dementia and local dementia campaigners gathered at the store to celebrate the launch of the lane that will support some of the estimated 1,500 people living with dementia in Wyre Forest.
Mick Whitfield from Kidderminster lives with dementia and was involved in providing advice to Tesco about setting up the lane. He cut the ribbon opening the lane and marked his involvement in the project.
Councillor Rose Bishop, chairman of Wyre Forest District Council, attended the opening and said: "The opening is a great start for people with dementia and Tesco has led the way through their dementia friendly work.
“Other stores and organisations may well follow their example now and provide a priority area for those who use their premises and need a helping hand."
The Kidderminster Tesco is one of just a few across the country with this facility due to its membership of the local DAA and commitment to help make Kidderminster a dementia-friendly town.
DAA member Jo Hughes said: "It's fantastic how much has been achieved in 12 months and it is a testament to the local community here. It has been really important to place people with dementia at the heart of everything the Dementia Action Alliance does in Kidderminster."
To find out more about Kidderminster's Dementia Action Alliance, please contact Jo Hughes by emailing jo.hughes@alzheimers.org.uk
• Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading dementia charity and its research shows that 850,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia. By 2021, one million people will be living with the condition and this is expected to soar to two million by 2051.
• The society provides information and support, fund research, campaign to improve care and create lasting change for people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• According to the latest data from the National Office of Statistics, dementia is the leading cause of death in England and Wales accounting for 11.6 per cent of deaths registered in 2015. It has replaced ischaemic heart diseases which accounted for 11.5 per cent of deaths in the same year.
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