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Professional Comment

Dementia Friendly Calamity Jane Screening for Teesside’s Elderly

TEESSIDE’s elderly enjoyed a dementia friendly screening of classic 1953 musical Calamity Jane at a Middlesbrough cinema.

Cineworld Middlesbrough showed the film as part of the town’s growing provision for those living with dementia.

Residents, carers and activity coordinators from three Stockton homes attended the film, including:

• Ingleby Care Home, Lamb Lane, Ingleby Barwick
• Mandale House Care Home, Acklam Road Thornaby
• The Beeches Care Home, Green Lane, Newtown.

Dementia friendly screenings enable those living with dementia and their carers to attend the cinema in a safe and comfortable environment, giving them the chance to get out and socialise.

Screening are open to everyone but are enhanced to suit the needs of people with dementia.

During the film, low lights are left on inside the auditorium, the soundtrack volume is reduced and it is acceptable for audience members to express themselves.

The staff on duty for these screenings have also become dementia friends to help provide support before, during and after screenings.

Helen Wood, home manager at The Beeches Care Home, said: “These dementia friendly screenings are fantastic for our residents, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to enjoy a day out to the cinema.

“Everyone who went to see Calamity Jane thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They can’t wait for the next dementia friendly screening.”