Portsdown View, a Bedhampton-based luxury care home in the Connaught Care Collection, recently participated in a ‘coffee and cake afternoon’ at Pompey Health & Fitness Club to help raise funds for Dementia UK. The home’s talented team of chefs created a batch of custom-made cakes for the event, which proved to be a hit with attendees.
Organized as part of World Alzheimer’s Month, which runs through September, proceeds from the event will go towards Dementia UK’s work advocating for greater awareness and support for those living with dementia; particularly older people who may lack the resources or support they need to cope.
Portsdown View has been an active campaigner on this issue ever since it opened its doors last year. Pippa Mafunga, General Manager at Portsdown, reflects on the event:
“Our team of chefs poured their hearts into these cakes, knowing that something as simple as a sweet treat can play a big role in fighting dementia. It’s not just about making cakes; it’s about raising awareness of a condition that affects so many people in our community. We are proud to be working with Pompey Health & Fitness to support the amazing work Dementia UK does around the country”.
Dementia currently impacts an estimated 982,000 people across the UK; a figure which is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. In Portsmouth alone, more than 2,100 people live with some form of dementia, with only around 500 receiving residential care. Many of these will struggle to look after themselves, or even articulate what they need to loved ones.
Portsdown View has been working to address this issue by supporting charities which advocate on behalf of people with dementia. In March, it raised £1040 for a West Sussex-based charity at a Casino Night fundraiser; and in May it started a bi-monthly ‘Memory Choir’ aimed at improving the lives of people with dementia through music therapy.
The home plans to step-up these efforts throughout World Alzheimer’s Month, which it sees as a crucial opportunity to build some positive momentum. Pippa Mafunga again:
“We believe this is an issue which will not simply go away. As case numbers climb across the country, the need for families and communities to really understand dementia will only grow with it. Put simply: the more awareness of this condition there is, the better. This is the message we will continue to push at Portsdown; both in the local community and beyond”.
For more information on Portsdown View’s efforts, visit their website. Alternatively, you can call 02392 001 706.