Help for carers

Five Things You Should Know About Dementia

1. It is not a natural part of ageing
2. It is caused by diseases of the brain, the most common of these is Alzheimer’s
3. It is not just about losing your memory – it can affect thinking, communicating and doing everyday tasks
4. It is possible to live better with dementia
5. There is more to the person than the dementia

With support, people with dementia can and do take an active role in life.

There are lots of organisations, events and other resources dedicated to providing help with dementia issues. Here are a few of them.

Links

Caring at a distance – A particular challenge for dementia carers.
See the article written by @dragonmisery on her Dementia Challengers website. This is a fund of useful tips and insights which all dementia carers would benefit from.

My Care Matters by Zoe Harris
This is a secure online place to record the information you want health professionals to know about you as a person. We should do this for ourselves and for those we care for, so that our personal preferences can be understood if we need care but are unable to communicate our wishes.

Dementia Carer by Tom Chrisp
This website has been developed with and by family members who look after someone who has dementia.

Organisations

Exeter Dementia Action Alliance
Honiton Dementia Action Alliance
The Alzheimer’s Society

Carecharts UK by Zoe Harris
Use our award-winning Remember-I’m-Me Care Charts to record and present the needs and preferences of the people in your care. You’ll empower your staff to maximise their quality of service, and address the CQC’s fundamental standards of Dignified and Person-Centred Care.
Already adopted by over 1,000 care homes and domiciliary agencies throughout the UK, Remember-I’m-Me Care Charts have also been adopted by both community and acute hospitals to assist in the care of people living with dementia.

Books

‘Dementia and the family’, by Rachel Johnstone
Activities and guidance for families and carers. This book is all about helping families to live well with dementia. Through an intergenerational approach to caring for a loved one with dementia, the book will give families the confidence and the self-belief in the difference they can make.

‘Elizabeth is missing’, by Emma Healey
I found this book utterly absorbing. It gave me thought provoking insight into the thoughts and actions of a person with dementia.

‘The Dementia Diaries’ A Novel in cartoons. By Matthew Snyman for Kent County Council. This is a collection of stories about young people and their experiences with dementia. I found it very real and it is an excellent way of introducing dementia to young people – humorous, humbling and honest. They represent our future.