Three Alzheimer's Support support workers have been shortlisted in the Key Worker category at the BBC Wiltshire's Make a Difference awards.

Lesley Scrace, Debbie Fitchen and Layla Shanley are all from the West Wiltshire Home Support team. They spend time with their clients in long, two or three hour visits and outings and all three find imaginative ways to support people and help them enjoy life to the full in their time together.

Manager Rebecca Hurst Richards said couldn’t choose between her team as all make such a difference supporting people with dementia and their families, but that these three brought something extra special to the job.

Her nomination said:

Lesley, a former mental health nurse, brings sunshine and joy to every family with her wide knowledge, calm manner and quick thinking. She goes above and beyond (like they all do) and helps whole families, near or far, with her understanding and ideas. She encourages families to be families again, supporting husbands and wives, sons and daughters to understand more about what their relative is experiencing and along the way helping with expectations. She is supportive and encouraging of the whole team.
Debbie is caring, reliable and does all she can to keep clients at home with their families – she finds what makes people tick and goes with it, including regular car karaoke with one of her ladies! She researches diagnoses and commits to extra training to ensure she is doing right by those with rarer  forms of dementia.
Layla, well, she is as mad as a box of frogs! She has done everything you can think of to support clients, from learning to knit, to cycling, to taking up bird-watching (with a plaster over her mouth to stop her talking). Her diary of taking her dog to encourage a client who was reluctant to go out was a joy to read. She is very loved and part of the families she helps.

The trio will be representing the whole team at the awards ceremony in September.

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