Wiltshire's Fire Service reveals support for people living with dementia
The disease is said to be a significant factor in increasing the risk of a fire in a home
Wiltshire's Fire and Rescue Service has told us how it's supporting people in the county living with dementia.
The Service offers Safe and Well visits to offer advice in reducing fire risks within the home.
The visits assess the fire hazards in a home, offering advice and guidance on cooking to how electrical appliances are set up and used.
Prevention Delivery Manager, Vikki Thomas, told Greatest Hits Radio: "Everything that our team does is goodwill advice and support. We try to encourage the occupier to make positive behaviour changes to help keep them to help reduce that risk of fire within their homes."
And with dementia described as a 'substantial factor' in increasing the chance of injury or death in the home, the Service hopes to put early preventative measures in place.
"A safe and well visit enables us to help the household consider the risks for that individual now, but also to future proof them as well," Vikki said.
The disease can cause people living with it forget how appliances work, meaning they could make a mistake that leads to a fire.
Vikki said: "We've had examples in the past where someone has placed the kettle on a gas stove, they've forgotten how that electrical appliance now works in our world, whereas their memory takes them back to how they used to boil the kettle, perhaps many years ago."
She added that the Service will help put in place measures for emergency situations, telling us it's all about "future proofing".
The organisation can also sign post families to other services, which include Utility companies, for item's such as gas locking cooker.
Other preventative measures include linked smoke alarms, should a person living with dementia live alone, which can be connected to a person's telecare provider.
"It is thinking about that future proofing, and we can help and support the person because things may be OK today, but it will gradually get worse over time," she said.
More information on Safe and Well visits can be found here.