'START a conversation' is the theme of this year's Dementia Action week but a Bournemouth bank has gone one step further, to help light up the life of a local resident.

When manager of Lloyds Bank in Old Christchurch Road, David Martin, was asked to arrange a visit for John Brown, a former post office owner who lives in a Poole care home, he didn't hesitate.

He arranged a meeting at the bank after learning that bank visits - to discuss his shares and financial situation - had been an almost daily part of John's previous life.

A spokesman for Luxurycare Homes' Aranlaw House said: "John was born near Dunfermline in Scotland and moved to Dorset about 20 years ago. He was a post office owner and was also involved within the financial market buying and selling shares, but was diagnosed with vascular dementia almost three years ago."

Because the home looks to support residents by arranging actions to make them feel valued and cared for, it contacted Lloyds Bank and checked if there was any possibility to book a meeting with the branch Bank Manager for John, as such meetings were part of John’s previous daily life which he really missed. As part of its Dementia Friendly ethos, manager David eagerly agreed.

"It was an absolute pleasure to meet John, especially knowing what it meant to him due to his history in the banking industry," said David. "As a bank manager in Bournemouth it is extremely important to my team to recognise that it’s often the simplest of interactions that can make the biggest difference. That meeting made John feel valued, proud and in control of his life," he said.

Dementia Action Week wants to encourage everyone to start a conversation with someone living with dementia who they know; whether it’s calling a relative with dementia or visiting a neighbour.

A spokesman said: "We understand that it can be difficult to know what to say. But we’ve teamed up with people affected by dementia to give you the best tips for getting a conversation started.

Conversation openers include:

n ‘Talk to me, smile, be a little patient and give me time to reply.’

n 'A simple ‘hello’, ask about the weather, anything that you feel comfortable with.’

n 'Just be yourself and yes, we will make mistakes but it’s ok to laugh along with us.’