Talk on the Peggy Dodd Centre by Richard Bush

On 13 October, Richard Bush, Day Centre Manager from the Peggy Dodds Centre came to talk about the work of the Centre and how Rotarians might be able to help. The Centre relies heavily on volunteers so that all of its income can go to support its clients.

Richard gave some general information about dementia. There are approx. 850,000 people in the UK suffering from this condition and some 42,000 are under 65. Within BANES the number is 3,000. 63% of dementia suffers have Alzheimer’s but it is estimated that there may be as many as 100 different types.

The Peggy Dodd Centre is not purpose built but had been adapted to serve the needs of people with dementia. The Centre can accommodate a maximum of 62 people – currently there are 55 attendees. There is no provision for residential care. The Day Centre has 12 staff and operates from 9.00 to 3.30 each weekday. People attending are provided with a two-course lunch and the cost per day is £33.

There are a range of activities including card games and dominoes. The Centre was one of the first to reopen after Covid. Transport to the Centre is provided by mini bus, taxi and a Dial-a-ride service now operating in Midsomer Norton and Radstock. There is also a High Dependency facility, the Margaret Fisher room, which has extra space. One of the aims of the Centre is to reduce the risk of people needing to go into a care home. They also provide a home sitting service where care is provided in the client’s home. There are 16 people currently receiving this service.

Referrals to the Centre can come from families, GPs, Social Service or via RICE. It is an independent charity so is not regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Richard answered a number of questions from members which demonstrated the interest in his presentation. The club has supported the Centre in the past with gardening and decorating projects and hopes to continue its association in future. For more information about the Day Centre, see the leaflet on the Peggy Dodd website.