Healthcare raise money for Alzheimer's Society 101116

Compass Group UK & Ireland’s Healthcare sector, part of the largest food services provider in the UK, has raised a staggering £73,000 in one year for the Alzheimer’s Society, exceeding its original target of £50,000.

The money has been raised as part of its pledge to fund essential research into ‘dysphagia’ (difficulties in eating, drinking, and swallowing) in people with dementia in a residential care setting. The healthcare team are continuing with its fundraising support towards the £151,000 required to fund this research.

The support for Alzheimer’s Society was first announced during Compass Group’s Healthcare Conference in May 2015. Lindsay Collins, an Alzheimer’s Society Clinical Fellow at the University of Bradford, is leading the research to better understand how and why eating and drinking can be disrupted in people with dementia. Her findings will help healthcare professionals to provide better care for people with dysphagia and dementia, helping to improve their quality of life.

Successful fundraising activities have included a cycling event in Leeds which raised over £2,000, a conference fundraising day which raised £700 and a range of activities also took place during Dementia Awareness Week, raising a total of £25,000.

Steve Cenci, Managing Director of Healthcare at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said:  “We are extremely proud of our partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society and how much we have raised in a year. It is such a great achievement to have smashed our original target of £50,000 and reaching the £73,000 mark. We are pleased to be supporting Alzheimer’s Society in their fundamental research on the effects of dysphagia and dementia. The study will help enable care professionals and families to ensure people living with dementia and dysphagia can receive better care.”

Michael Dent, Director of Fundraising at Alzheimer’s Society said: “We are delighted that Compass Group UK & Ireland’s healthcare team has raised an impressive £73,000 for Alzheimer’s Society over the last year. We are extremely grateful for the support and dedication Compass has shown in their fundraising efforts. Eating, drinking and swallowing can become very difficult for people with dementia, leading to many issues like poor nutrition, dehydration and weight loss. This money will go a long way in funding research into the issue and helping those affected by dementia to live better in the future.”

While fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Society, the Healthcare business at Compass Group UK & Ireland also launched its “Dignified Dining” toolkit, in over 60 hospitals and care homes. This initiative aims to provide exceptional nutritional care to people living with dementia. The toolkit outlines our ten key nutritional related guidelines, enabling residents and patients living with dementia to be given more personalised and specialist support in relation to their food provision.

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