Charity launches refurbished dementia resource centre in Kirkcaldy

Invited guests toured the refurbished site on Hill Street on Wednesday with Henry Simons, chief executive at Alzheimer Scotland, and Provost Jim Leishman taking time to thank those involved with the centre.

The centre now includes outdoor spaces inspired by Fife’s coast and woodlands, and artwork produced by local artists highlighting local towns and cities. There are also quiet spaces and activities such as snooker.

According to Mr Simons, the newly refurbished space is part of a wider plan to tackle brain health, under its ongoing plans to improve care in the area.

He said: “It’s part of an ongoing investment from Alzheimer Scotland in this area. We’re using our fundraising income to come and make all of this happen.

“It also complements work we do on behalf of the local authorities, and health and social care partners – so it’s quite a nice combination the fact we’ve got day services is good because that gives us something to invest in”.

However, Mr Simons says that the centre also allows Alzheimer Scotland to raise awareness, and to impact the discrimination and stigma facing those living with dementia.

He added: “This fulfils our goal of taking dementia to the High Street. A decade ago dementia was never on the High Street, it was hidden away.

“This is helping bring about a transformation in our understanding and public engagement. It tackles stigma, it tackles discrimination and it gives people a really nice space to come to and feel valued in”.

He said that increasing understanding around how to take care of your brain is imperative to the mission of the brain health and dementia resource centres, with around 30 per cent of dementia cases considered to be preventable based on lifestyle circumstances.

Simons explained: “There are 12 fundamental lifestyle circumstances we can do something about, and what we really want to start to do is to begin to understand how to look after your brain, what it takes to look after your brain – and to maybe help people get a really strong sense of what they can be empowered to do.

“That includes people like school children who are participating in sports.

"More importantly we can reach an understanding with people that their brain is something they really can look after”.

Centres such as this one are also seen to be part of the process of helping people post-pandemic, something Mr Simons saids “disproportionately” affected people living with dementia.

“I think our community has been on its knees. The loss, the pain, the trauma still exists out there, and is something that must never be forgotten.

“What we’re trying to do is open the door gradually for people and just allow people to come back.

"And allow those people who have become a bit more isolated as a consequence, and need to build a bit more confidence back up”.