Dementia
is an umbrella term which describes a serious deterioration in mental
functions, such as memory, language, orientation and judgement. There are many
types, but Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for two-thirds of cases, is the
most well-known.
People with dementia and their carers may be eligible for help from adult
social care. Talk to your social worker, if you have one, or contact us to find
out if you are eligible for help.
You will also find some useful links at the bottom of this page to
organisations that can offer advice and support for people living with dementia.
Dementia strategy for
Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland
Leicester City Council and other organisations have been working together to
develop a local dementia
strategy. It outlines the way professionals will work together to
support people with dementia – and their carers.
The dementia strategy has been developed in partnership with Leicester City
Council, Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council and the
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PCT Cluster.
The strategy includes five priorities which will be implemented over the next
few years to help improve the experience of those with dementia and their
carers.
These priorities are:
- early
diagnosis;
- improving
experiences of hospital care;
- improved
care in residential and nursing homes;
- improved
care for people with dementia in the community;
- a
workforce fit to deliver services to support the care pathway for
dementia.
The full dementia strategy for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is now available on this link.
A summary version is also available using this link.
Also available here is a
set of presentations from the Dementia Summit held in February 2012. The
summit gave professionals who work in adult social care the chance to find out
more about the new local dementia strategy.
Further information and useful links
Shared Lives
Shared Lives provides care, support and accommodation for people who
need help due to a learning, physical and/or sensory disability, dementia or
mental health problems. Specially recruited carers provide this service
in their own homes.
Shared Lives is currently running a pilot scheme to set up and
recruit carers to provide daytime support and short respite stays for
people with dementia. See our page on the Shared Lives specialist dementia service for details.
Still Going Strong
Still Going Strong is a very useful booklet about dementia produced by the
Mental Health Foundation.
Becoming a Carer
Becoming a Carer is a useful booklet for carers about dementia.
Living
with Dementia
Living with
Dementia is a video documenting some of the experiences of carers and people
with dementia. It particularly focuses on Leicester's black and minority ethnic
(BME) communities. You can view the video at the top of this page.
Click here for a transcript of the Living with Dementia video.
An online tool
www.atdementia.org.uk/atguide
Innovations in
Dementia has been working in partnership with Trent Dementia Services
Development Centre and the Disabled Living Foundation to produce an online tool
that will help people with dementia and their families and supporters to find
assistive technology that will help them to live well.
National
charities/voluntary organisations
Age
UK - national site
Alzheimers Society - national site
Dementia Action
Dementia UK
Local support
Age
UK Leicester Shire & Rutland
Alzheimers
Society local information
The Carers Centre (formerly CLASP The Carers Centre)
Action Deafness
Vista -
local sight loss charity
Government advice
Directgov - website of the UK Government
Health services
Leicestershire
Partnership NHS trust - provides mental health, learning disability
and community health services.
NHS Direct
NHS Leicester,
Leicestershire & Rutland PCT Cluster - an
organisation which buys specialist healthcare services for patients.
*Leicester City Council is not responsible for the content and services
provided by external websites.
