16 June 2021
TV personality Vicky Pattison visits Admiral Court Care Home
To celebrate Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day, TV personality Vicky Pattison hand delivered cupcakes to Admiral Court, our ‘Outstanding’ care home in Leigh-on-Sea. During the exciting visit, Vicky also joined residents and team members for a delicious afternoon tea.
Vicky dropped by the home, cupcakes in hand, and spent the afternoon with team members and residents talking about their shared experiences of dementia, the challenges care homes have faced over the last year and the importance of Alzheimer’s Society’s vital work.
The afternoon was particularly poignant for the former I’m a Celebrity Winner, as her own grandfather David is currently living in a care home after being diagnosed with dementia in 2010. Like thousands of families, Vicky was unable to visit him for most of last year and witnessed first-hand the challenges care home workers have faced and the impact of social isolation.
After reflecting on her own experiences and talking with others in a similar position, Vicky is encouraging people to take part in Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day at any point this June.
Vicky said: “Dementia is something that is very personal to me and so I want to do everything I can to help raise awareness of this heart-breaking condition. I’m so proud to be supporting Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day, to be spending the afternoon with such dedicated team, awe-inspiring residents and their families after what has been an incredibly tough year has been so heart-warming.
“There are currently 850,000 people living with dementia – it’s a condition that affects the whole family unit. My grandad has always been so strong and active – it’s been hard to see this cruel disease take so much from him.
“That’s why the work of Alzheimer’s Society is so important – there are so many families like mine who rely on services like Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Connect support line, but the charity’s work relies heavily on donations – if everyone gets involved in Cupcake Day. Alzheimer’s Society can reach even more people and provide support that’s so desperately needed right now to help people like my grandad and many others.”
One of the residents Vicky sat down with was Gerald Greenfield, aged 84, who was joined by the home’s Dementia Care Co-ordinator, Irene Anderson. Gerald was diagnosed with dementia in 2019 and has been a resident at Admiral Court, part of Hallmark Care Homes since February 2020, where its founder Avnish and his wife Anita Goyal MBE are also Alzheimer’s Society Ambassadors.
The Celebrity MasterChef finalist took great interest in listening to Gerald’s adventures while he was living in Saudi Arabia which included time during the 1st Gulf War in 1991. Gerald spent the majority of his working life in Saudi Arabia employed by British Aerospace. The pair took a stroll in the care home’s gardens and enjoyed some tea and cake, with Gerald talking about how much he enjoys baking at the care home and watching cooking shows on TV.
Irene Anderson said: “It’s been so lovely having Vicky visit today, it’s meant so much to the residents and the team. Hearing about her personal connection to dementia and her experiences with her grandad David are all too familiar. As a Dementia Care Coordinator, I know just how important good quality care is for people living with dementia and activities like baking are a big part of life at the care home. Sadly, there are lots of people that don’t have access to this support which is why it’s so important that people get involved in Cupcake Day to raise those vital donations.”
Money raised from Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day will go towards the charity’s vital services such as its Dementia Connect support line. The charity’s services have been used over five million times since March 2020 and have been a lifeline to thousands. The charity is also asking people to sign a petition to urge Governments to honour their promise to rebuild the broken social care system, so that people with dementia get high quality, accessible social care, free at the point of use.
Alzheimer’s Society Chief Executive Kate Lee said: “The past year has been devastating for the thousands of people living with dementia and their families. People like Gerald and Vicky’s grandad need our support now more than ever. We are incredibly grateful for Vicky’s support and to everyone who gets involved in Cupcake Day this June. Together, we can make a massive difference, so please sign up and get baking.”
People can get involved in Cupcake Day in several ways, whether it’s through doing a baking ‘drop off’ to neighbours, hosting a driveway cake sale or hosting a socially distanced cupcake party. Sign up for Cupcake Day and receive your free fundraising pack here: alzheimers.org.uk/cupcake-day