Dovehaven Goes Purple: Coming Together for World Alzheimer’s Month

Dovehaven Care Homes went purple on Monday 21st September to mark World Alzheimer’s Day and join people around the world in raising awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Across our care homes in Liverpool, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, residents, colleagues and families came together for our first Dovehaven Goes Purple campaign – creating a day full of colour, creativity, conversation and, most importantly, connection.

From purple outfits and decorations to music, crafts, games, special events, and even some delicious looking purple cakes, every Dovehaven home found its own way to get involved, to celebrate the people living in our homes and help raise awareness of what life with dementia can really look like.

Celebrating life beyond a dementia diagnosis

At Dovehaven, we believe a person living with dementia is never defined by their diagnosis.

Our approach to person-centred dementia care starts with getting to know the individual – their life story, interests, routines, relationships, likes and dislikes, and the things that bring them joy. That means dementia care isn't simply about meeting someone's care needs, it's about supporting people to continue doing the things that matter to them, maintaining meaningful relationships and making everyday moments count.

Dovehaven Goes Purple gave our teams another opportunity to put this into practice, creating activities that residents could enjoy and take part in in their own way.

Dementia awareness across our Liverpool care homes

At Brooklands Care Home in Old Swan, Liverpool, residents and colleagues marked the day with a purple-themed tea party, complete with bingo, games and refreshments.

Brooklands has a particularly strong connection to dementia care. Earlier this year, the team was named Dementia Care Team of the Year at the nationally recognised Stars of Social Care Awards, recognising their commitment to person-centred care and the compassion, creativity and specialist knowledge they bring to residents every day.

For families looking for dementia care in Liverpool, experiences like these are an important part of understanding what life in a care home can look like. Dementia care isn't just about the support someone receives from their care team, it's also about creating an environment where people can continue to socialise, express themselves, enjoy familiar routines and build new memories.

Bringing our teams together for World Alzheimer’s Month

Dovehaven's monthly internal Feel Good Friday meeting also had a dementia awareness focus this month, bringing colleagues together from across Dovehaven. The session explored World Alzheimer's Month, dementia awareness and the importance of recognising and celebrating the work taking place across our homes.

Our Dementia Lead, Krystyna Mitchell, also shared an update ahead of her attendance at the 20th UK Dementia Congress, where she and Jo Hadfield, Head of Clinical Governance, will be presenting later this year.

Krystyna said: “It’s amazing to see the commitment and care within our homes whilst all coming together for our first Dovehaven Goes Purple campaign to spread awareness across our community and beyond.”

What does person-centred dementia care look like?

For someone living with dementia, the little things can make a big difference.

At Dovehaven, person-centred care can mean:

• Taking the time to understand someone's life story and personal history.
• Supporting familiar routines and interests.
• Encouraging residents to take part in activities at their own pace.
• Creating opportunities for music, creativity, reminiscence and social connection.
• Involving families and maintaining important relationships.
• Supporting independence and personal choice wherever possible.
• Getting to know what makes each individual feel comfortable, happy and at home.

Every person is different, which means dementia care should never be a one-size-fits-all approach.

Supporting people living with dementia across the North West

Dovehaven provides care across Liverpool, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, with homes supporting people with a range of care needs, including dementia care.

If you're looking for dementia care for a loved one, finding the right home is about more than location. It's about finding somewhere that understands the person behind the diagnosis and can support them to continue living life in a way that feels meaningful to them.

Our care teams are here to help families understand their options, answer questions and talk through what care might look like for their loved one.

Dovehaven Goes Purple was about celebrating the people behind every diagnosis, recognising the importance of connection and reminding ourselves that dementia is only one part of someone's story. Together, we're raising awareness, celebrating lives and helping people living with dementia continue to enjoy the things that matter to them.