Dementia Action Week Blog- The Role of a Dementia Ambassador at RCH Care Homes
Supporting Outstanding Dementia Care Across Wisbech, Cambridge, Romford, Brentwood, Buckhurst Hill, Maidstone and Ashford
Louise Dementia Ambassador at Woodlands Care Centre
At RCH Care Homes, dementia care is about far more than meeting clinical needs. It is about understanding the person behind the diagnosis, supporting independence, creating meaningful moments, and ensuring every resident feels valued, safe and connected.
Across RCH Care Homes, dedicated Dementia Ambassadors play a vital role in helping residents living with dementia experience compassionate, person-centred care every day. From Orchard House Care Home in Wisbech to homes in Cambridge, Romford, Brentwood, Buckhurst Hill, Maidstone and Ashford, Dementia Ambassadors help lead the group’s dementia strategy while supporting residents, families and care teams.
What Is a Dementia Ambassador?
A Dementia Ambassador is a specially trained member of the team who champions best practice in dementia care throughout the home. They support residents living with dementia by helping create enabling environments, meaningful engagement opportunities and personalised approaches to care.
At RCH Care Homes, Dementia Ambassadors work closely with Home Managers, clinical teams, lifestyle teams and families to ensure dementia care remains compassionate, respectful and individual to every resident.
Their role combines practical care expertise with leadership, mentoring and emotional support, helping to create positive dementia-friendly communities within each care home.
Meet Honey Berry – Dementia Ambassador at Orchard House Care Home in Wisbech
Honey Dementia Ambassador at Orchard House Care Home
At Orchard House Care Home, Wisbech, Dementia Ambassador Honey Berry has dedicated more than 12 years to working within elderly and dementia care.
Honey joined Orchard House, part of RCH Care Homes, in 2019 as a Team Leader before progressing her career into the specialist role of Dementia Ambassador.
Speaking about her role, Honey said:
“To me, being a Dementia Ambassador is more than a job, it is a commitment to being a champion for those who may no longer be able to advocate for themselves. I aim to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia by influencing the culture of care within my organisation and community.”
Her passion for supporting people living with dementia reflects the wider approach across RCH Care Homes, where residents are encouraged to continue hobbies, maintain routines and experience meaningful engagement tailored to their individual needs.
Supporting Person-Centred Dementia Care
One of the most important responsibilities of a Dementia Ambassador is ensuring care remains truly person-centred.
At RCH Care Homes, this means understanding each resident’s life story, personality, interests, routines and preferences. By building these connections, teams can provide dementia care that supports emotional wellbeing alongside physical health.
Person-centred dementia care may include:
- Supporting familiar daily routines
- Creating calming and dementia-friendly environments
- Encouraging meaningful activities and engagement
- Promoting independence wherever possible
- Reducing distress and anxiety through understanding and reassurance
- Working closely with families to understand personal histories and preferences
This approach supports residents living with dementia across RCH Care Homes in Wisbech, Cambridge, Romford, Brentwood, Buckhurst Hill, Maidstone and Ashford.
Leading the Dementia Strategy at RCH Care Homes
Catarina Dementia Ambassador at Romford Care Home
Dementia Ambassadors also play a key role in implementing the wider dementia strategy across RCH Care Homes.
Working alongside leadership teams, they help introduce best practice approaches, audit care standards and support continuous improvement throughout the homes.
This includes:
- Developing dementia-friendly environments
- Supporting meaningful engagement programmes
- Introducing specialist assessment tools
- Encouraging innovative dementia care approaches
- Promoting dignity, choice and independence
RCH Care Homes also invests in dementia-focused initiatives and technologies designed to enhance wellbeing and engagement for residents living with dementia.
Mentoring and Supporting Care Teams
Another important part of the Dementia Ambassador role is supporting colleagues throughout the home.
Dementia care can be emotionally demanding, and Ambassadors help build staff confidence, resilience and knowledge through mentoring and role modelling.
By sharing specialist dementia knowledge with the wider team, they help ensure every resident benefits from compassionate and consistent care.
This collaborative approach helps strengthen dementia care across all RCH Care Homes locations, including:
- Wisbech
- Cambridge
- Romford
- Brentwood
- Buckhurst Hill
- Maidstone
- Ashford
Supporting Families Through the Dementia Journey
Living with dementia affects entire families, not just the individual receiving care.
Dementia Ambassadors provide reassurance, guidance and communication for relatives navigating the emotional journey of dementia care. They often act as a key point of contact for families, helping answer questions, provide updates and support meaningful connections between residents and loved ones.
This relationship-centred approach helps families feel involved, informed and supported throughout their loved one’s care journey.
Recognition and Achievement in Dementia Care
Honey’s dedication to dementia care has also been recognised through several regional and national care award achievements.
Her awards include:
- Winner – Dementia Carer Award (Regional Winner and Highly Commended Nationally)
- Winner – Care Assessor and Care Planner Award
- Winner – Palliative Care and End of Life Award Regional Finals
Understanding each resident’s life story, personality, interests, routines and preferences.
Honey also recently attended the national finals for her latest award recognition, reflecting her commitment to delivering compassionate, high-quality dementia care.
Dementia Care at RCH Care Homes
At RCH Care Homes, dementia care focuses on creating supportive environments where residents can continue to live fulfilling and meaningful lives.
Homes across the group provide specialist dementia support designed around dignity, compassion and individual wellbeing. This includes residential dementia care and nursing dementia care in selected locations.
Whether supporting residents in Wisbech, Cambridge, Romford, Brentwood, Buckhurst Hill, Maidstone or Ashford, RCH Care Homes remains committed to delivering person-centred dementia care that places residents and families at the heart of everything they do.
To find out more about dementia care at RCH Care Homes or Orchard House Care Home in Wisbech, please visit the website or speak to a member of the team.
