A Bath-based charity, RICE, the Research Institute for the Care of Older People, recently welcomed three guests to meet patients and carers and find out more about their work.
Dr Cathy Wernham, Cllr Rob Appleyard, Melissa Hillier, Annie Maw, Jennifer Duke and Prof. Roy Jones | Photo © RICE
The guests, including the Mayor of Bath, Cllr Rob Appleyard, Annie Maw, the outgoing Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset and Jennifer Duke the High Sheriff of Somerset, also visited the charity’s memory clinic and learnt more about dementia research and clinical trials.
This was the last official charity visit for Annie Maw before handing over the reins to the new Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq.
After being welcomed by Melissa Hillier, CEO and Professor Roy Jones, President of RICE, the guests were given a tour of the RICE Centre.
They were also shown how psychologists at RICE use questionnaires and other visual tools to help them accurately diagnose patients with cognitive impairment and dementia.
The guests were introduced to patients and carers who explained their experiences of being involved with RICE and how it had benefited them, particularly, the sense of purpose they gained from bring enrolled in clinical trials.
RICE is an internationally recognised research institute, treatment centre and Memory Clinic dedicated to improving quality of life for older people through its research and support for people with dementia, their families and carers.
As well as undertaking dementia research and conducting clinical trials into potential treatments for dementia, RICE hosts the NHS Memory Clinic for Bath and North East Somerset.
The RICE Memory Clinic receives referrals from local GPs, assesses patient’s memory and thinking skills and provides treatment and medication for dementia.
The centre also runs courses for carers and Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) courses for patients.
Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Annie Maw said: “It was inspiring to see the work that RICE is doing to find solutions to some of the difficulties faced by older people such as dementia.
“The RICE Centre is such a cheerful place and those attending the Memory Clinic obviously enjoy being there and are clearly reassured and helped by all that you provide to support them.
“Good luck with your valuable work and with your fundraising for the President’s Appeal.”
Melissa Hillier, Chief Executive Officer for RICE said: “We were delighted to welcome such influential and supportive visitors to RICE.
“All three of them had a tremendous empathy for people dealing with dementia and were keen to learn about how RICE supports patients, families and carers through our clinical diagnosis service, our research into dementia and our support courses for patients and families.
“Dementia is on the rise and will impact over 1 million people in the UK by 2030 so the more that RICE can contribute to research on potential treatments for the different types of dementia, is vital.”
Jennifer Duke, High Sheriff of Somerset added: “It was a real pleasure to visit local charity, RICE, who do so much to support the care of older people in Bath and North-East Somerset who have memory problems.
“I was particularly impressed to hear that their Memory Clinic has cared for over 12,000 patients and their families since opening and that RICE has recently gained an Outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
“Please consider contributing to the charity’s President’s appeal which will enable the growth of RICE’s research capability for research into dementia treatments.”
Tony Evans, who lives near Box in Wiltshire and is a RICE patient said: “I’m thankful that RICE was able to give me an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease as it motivated me to adapt, plan ahead, make the most of my health and enjoy my hobbies including climbing.
“Another benefit of working with RICE has been gaining access to the EVOKE clinical trial which has added a great sense of purpose to my life to be aiding the urgent cause of dementia research.
“I’d gladly recommend an early visit to RICE to anyone who has memory issues, their team have tremendous expertise and are a great support to my wife, Diane and I, as we learn to live with Alzheimer’s.”
To find out more about taking part in RICE’s clinical trials or to donate to the President’s Appeal visit their website here.
