Govia Thameslink Railway has partnered up with the Alzheimers Society in a bid to see employees trained to recognise signs of dementia, allowing them to offer support to customers using the railways.

Dementia Action Week gets underway on the 15th of May and Govia Thameslink Railway set a target of 100 colleagues to be signed up for the ‘Dementia Friends’ initiative.

The scheme has been more popular than first realised with almost double the numbers signing up so far, which is largely due to people relating to the cause with their own personal experience of Alzheimer’s.

‘Dementia Friends’ are people who have learned about the condition in order to support their community. The Alzheimers Society has created a short film which reveals the basic skills needed to recognise someone who may live with dementia and how to offer practical tips and engage with both patience and empathy.

The rail operator currently provides a great deal of training for colleagues covering general health, safety, suicide prevention and caring for the vulnerable. Adding to this learning package will see railway staff become even more vigilant whilst supporting members of the public travelling on trains or at stations.

Sophie Court, Accessibility Improvement Manager at Govia Thameslink Railway, said:“Our colleagues meet hundreds of people on the railway every day. As well as looking out for obvious signs of passenger distress, it’s important we continue to raise awareness of hidden conditions too, so we can provide people with the help they need. We’re very proud of the number of colleagues who’ve signed up to become a Dementia Friend and hope to have even more on board by the end of Dementia Action Week.”

Jackie Swapp, Area Manager for Alzheimer’s Society, said: “There are currently 900,000 people in the UK affected by dementia. People with dementia have the right to live the life they want and continue to do the things they enjoy, but often they don’t feel included in their communities and face isolation.”

“There are more than 3.5 million Dementia Friends taking action in shops, workplaces, schools and family homes since the scheme was launched 10 years ago, ensuring people living with dementia are understood, included and respected.”

When her father started to become more forgetful, Anja Vrambout, who works as an On-board Supervisor for Gatwick Express, put it down to old age. Anja said: “He had a routine check-up with a consultant, but when he couldn’t remember what day it was, the consultant referred him and that’s when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. From then on, it was almost as if we were all watching him fade away. It was really sad, and we felt helpless.”

“I wish there was more I knew about the disease. For example, something as simple as shiny surfaces can really confuse someone with dementia because it affects their senses and they could interpret this as a wet surface or glare from a light. People with dementia could also experience changes to touch, taste, smell and hearing. It’s a cruel disease and I feel I owe it to my dad to share the signs and experiences with others.”