Caring staff at Paragon Veterinary Referrals have reinforced their commitment to helping humans, as well as treating animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Twenty staff have completed a training session run by the charity Dementia Friends, aimed at increasing their awareness and understanding of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Debra Scuffham, referral hospital manager at Paragon, said the training would be invaluable in helping staff deal with pet owners suffering from the illness, which is associated with an ongoing decline of brain functions, including memory loss, judgement and understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Debra said: \u201cDementia Friends is about learning more about the disease and the ways you can help sufferers. It highlighted to us all what people with dementia are going through and how we can make life easier for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe course makes you think about how you speak and interact with them and is something which can be extremely helpful when we’re dealing with pet owners who suffer from dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt can be as simple as reminding them to give their pet its medication on time, a small thing but vitally important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paragon already has a proud track record of ensuring its clients, and the wider community, are cared for as well as its pet patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In August, it pledged that all staff would undergo first aid training, while in June it invested \u00a31,500 to install a potentially life-saving defibrillator for the Paragon Business Village headquarters in Red Hall Crescent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n