Prestwick Meeting Centre, from Dementia Friendly Prestwick
Our “Centre of Excellence”, by Danny Gallacher
I shall start by stating that DFP (Dementia Friendly Prestwick) is, in my opinion a vital part of the way that people affected by this condition can come safe along and enjoy the result of the effort that the staff put in. I highlighted the word Friendly and I make no apologies for this as it is the main reason that people firstly want to arrive at the start of the day and secondly don’t want to leave at the end of the day. A common reply when told that their taxi is there is “ Oh no ! “. That is music to the staff’s ears and a testament to the work which they put in.
My wife was diagnosed with dementia in February 2020 having retired in March 2017 from a position as an office manager of an international access company (JLG). Laura was my life.
We met in London in 1976, married in 1977, had my daughter in 1978 and my son in 1979. People say “If you remember the 70’s you weren’t there”. I was there and I will never forget them.
After the diagnosis we moved to Ayr in June 2021 as Laura always loved the seaside. As her condition worsened in 2022 it was becoming more and more stressful for me to look after her properly and I set out to check the various options available in the region. Having tried several places I was told about Prestwick Meeting Centre (in the RAFA Club) from our CPN Stephanie who held a class there every Wednesday.
On November 2022 I arrived in the car park at RAFA and met Julie for the first time as Laura was refusing to come in. These car park meetings continued for 3 weeks until Julie coaxed her to just come in for 5 minutes and have a look about. We managed to get my wife into the club in January 2023 and both of our lives changed for the better immediately. Laura loved it. From January to June we visited every available day and I had never seen her so happy. She was her old self when we were there dancing and laughing.
Laura passed away in July 2023 and I was devastated. We had been together for 47 years.
I left Scotland in August 2023 and went abroad to stay with my son. I returned 6 months later in February 2024. My intention was to stay for one week as I had a return ticket to Spain and an apartment in the Costa Del Sol. I went to DFP in February to say goodbye to everyone. I am still here every Monday to Wednesday every week.
That is the effect this club had on me personally which is why I have no problem in recommending it to anyone who has this awful condition which affects everyone involved with it. I shall finish by saying that DFP changed my life as I was heading nowhere.
I will also never forget what they did for my wife. She smiled again `
PS I can’t think of a better “Centre of Excellence”
Daniel Gallacher
Aug 15th 2024
“My wife was diagnosed with dementia in February 2020 having retired in March 2017 from a position as an office manager of an international access company (JLG). Laura was my life.”
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