Dementia - Where to Find Help

I love this time of year, warmer days and more daylight cheers everyone up. Last month I talked about the various stages of dementia and how the disease might progress. This month we will look at some sources of help and support that are available for people living with dementia and their carers.

If you are living with dementia, either yourself or supporting a loved one who has dementia, it can feel very isolating, but you are not alone. According to the Alzheimer’s Society there are currently around 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia and as our population ages that number is set to rise. 

Although there is room for improvement there is actually quite a lot of help available, from support groups to information sources to specialist equipment. The challenge can be trying to find it! To try and simplify things I am going to break down support into three different areas;

Information and Guidance

There are a lot of websites providing good quality information and guidance (try www.alzheimers.org.uk and www.dementiauk.org), both of these trustworthy sites also have support lines you can call.

I would recommend arranging a support call with your local Alzheimer’s Society representative, they will be able to give you plenty of advice and support with any challenges you are facing and signpost you to additional support you may be able to access.

If you are facing any particular challenges around the house then it could be worth speaking to a reputable supplier of mobility products. There are a number of local companies around and there are some fantastic bits of equipment that until you are told about them you don’t realise how much they could help.

Do also make full use of what the NHS offers you, it is variable but does offer some good support.

Support Groups and Activities

One of the greatest supports for carers of those with dementia is sharing with people who are in a similar situation. Dementia can make you feel cut off from the rest of society, many people worry about how people will respond if they venture out into the community.

I would really encourage anyone in this situation to try and get involved in some local groups where you can share challenges, ask others for advice or just be able to relax in other people’s company, knowing that they understand.

In our local area Right at Home runs a few groups (Singing for the Mind, Sunflower Cafe etc) - you can find details on the website www.rightathomegf.co.uk. Action for Carers also runs support groups and there are various church coffee groups etc that may not be dementia specific but are usually very welcoming and supportive.

Care or Support

As dementia progresses it is likely that the person with dementia may need some additional care or support, even if that is just to provide a break for the family member supporting them. 

There are some great services out there; 

• Day Centres that offer some really good entertainment during the day (try Brightwells Gostrey in Farnham and The Hunter Centre in Haslemere)
• Home Care Providers - try to find one that has a good focus on dementia, their staff should have good training in dementia support. (Look at www.homecare.co.uk)

I hope that I have given a good summary of some of the help that is available, there is a lot more but not enough space on the page. As always I am happy to be contacted directly at Right at Home should you have any questions to ask me.

Alastair Shanks, Owner Right at Home GF and Dementia Friends Champion