TO show their support for Dementia Awareness Week (which runs until Sunday May 21) - the team at Specsavers in Dudley has ensured more than 15 staff members are qualified to better understand the needs of customers suffering from dementia.

Staff at the store in Castle Street are among Specsavers employees nationwide who have been completing Dementia Friends training, an initiative run by the Alzheimer’s Society,

Gurdeep Dosanjh, store director of Specsavers Dudley, said: "Being more aware of dementia is an incredibly positive development for our team and our offering to customers."

The comprehensive training covers all aspects of dementia and discusses how it affects people in different ways and how it can affect sight and hearing.

Staff at the opticians are also inviting anyone over 55 to have a free hearing test at Specsavers as they say research suggests people with untreated hearing loss are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

For more information call into Specsavers at Castle Street, Dudley, telephone 01384 214 851 or visit website www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/dudley