Getting Support...
Living with dementia can be hard, whether you have a dementia diagnosis yourself, or care for someone who has dementia.
Many people find it helpful to have someone they can talk to who understands dementia and/or is able to help them access services and information that can help.
Gateway
Gateway is a partnership of public
and charitable organisations under one roof for ease of access for the
customer.
Gateway offer:-
• Information and self help, internet access
and payment kiosk
• Routine advice and transactions
• Bus passes, parking and tourist information
• Housing and housing benefits
• Assistance with police, disability groups and back to work agencies
• Registrar services for births and deaths
• Cross agency services such as planning, library and adult education
• Social services and occupational therapy
For your nearest Gateway', please go to our Local Support and Services page.
Mental Health Services in Kent
The Kent and Medway Partnership
Trust provides a wide range of services for people experiencing mental
health problems across Kent and Medway.
They also provide other services including some learning disability services
and a substance misuse service. The vision is to provide services that
are free from stigma, promote recovery and are designed with service users
and their carers to promote positive health and wellbeing.
The Kent and Medway Partnership Trust is the largest Mental Health Community Trust in the UK (serving 1.3 million people) providing an unparalleled opportunity for the development of specialist services with similarly wide ranging professional opportunities.
Further information can be found on the
Mental Health Services in Kent link.
Community Mental Health
Teams for Older People More information is available in our Local
Services - Health section.
The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support
Services (ADSS)
Community Mental Health Teams for Older People (CMHTOP) provide services
to patients over 65 years who have mental health problems or any individual
with a diagnosis of dementia including those under 65.
Single point of entry provides assessment and offers memory clinic, dementia
clinic, psychology, day therapy, Occupational Therapy assessment and outpatient
clinics.
Referrals are made mainly through GPs and social services but some teams
also accept self-referrals.
The community mental health teams include nurses, occupational therapists,
consultants and administrative staff.
ADSS was awarded Big Lottery funding for a five year project to work with GP surgeries in Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley area to raise awareness of dementia among clients aged 65 – 75 years of age.
The project aims to encourage clients to seek help for memory problems, thereby facilitating earlier diagnosis, medical intervention and access to support services for clients and their carers.
For more information and to register your interest in taking part in this project, please contact: Dr Viniti Seabrooke on 01474 533 990 or you can send an email to seabrookeviniti@btconnect.com
Alternatively, you can visit their website Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Services for further information.
Alzheimer’s
and Dementia Family Support (ADFS)
The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Service (ADFS Service)
is based at the Sunlight Centre, Richmond Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7
1LX, and managed by Sunlight Development Trust.
The service provides emotional, practical and informational support to
families, friends and relatives caring for someone affected by Alzheimer's
or Dementia in Medway. Core funding is provided by an annual grant from
Medway Council, to which additional income from donations and other fundraising
is added.
The core service provides personalised support to
meet the needs of individuals affected by Alzheimer's or Dementia, and
includes the following:
• A regular programme of weekly and monthly activities
• Monthly 'caring for carers' support groups and coffee mornings
• Regular contact support calls to those in contact with the service
• Home visits to assist with the completion of welfare benefit forms
• Support to access other information relevant to each individual
• A quarterly newsletter
• Onward referral and signposting
as appropriate
For further information please contact:
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support
Sunlight Centre
105 Richmond Road
Gillingham
Kent
ME7 1LL
Tel: 01634 338 600
Fax: 01634 338 608
Email: Info@sunlighttrust.org.uk
Alternatively, please go direct to Alzheimer’s
and Dementia Family Support website
Memory Clinics
Becoming forgetful does not necessarily mean that a person has dementia so it is worth discussing concerns with your G.P.
Making a diagnosis of dementia is often difficult, particularly in the early stages, so G.P.'s will often refer to a Memory Clinic for assessment. See Getting a Diagnosis for more information.
Memory Clinics operate throughout the county at main community locations and offer assessment, support, information and advice to those with memory problems and their carers.
Further information can be found
on the Kent
and Medway Partnership Trust website.
Living Well in Medway
Living Well in Medway is an information service for adults with low to
moderate social care needs and their carers.
This includes older people, people with learning or physical disabilities, mental health difficulties and people with long term disabling health conditions.
Initially the service will give
priority to people who have been referred by Medway Adult Services following
their community care assessment.
People can refer themselves, or be referred by others such as voluntary
organisations, family members, social care and health providers. Priority
can be given to those people who are discharged from hospital and other
care settings and where immediate help is required.
Service Details
The service provides FREE information about a wide range
of local community services and activities that can help people to remain
independent in their own home. The service aims to help people to access
services and information that will enable them to have greater choice
and control over the support they need to lead independent and active
lives.
How is the Service Provided?
Staff or trained volunteers will
be able to talk to you about your needs and ideas about what you would
like to do. This could be making new friends, taking up a hobby or learning
new skills, joining a support group to meet people in similar circumstances,
organising your day etc. They will also help you to identify any difficulties
or barriers you may have in accessing services, such as transport, and
cost, and help you to work out solutions that are right for you.
When is the Service Available?
From 9:00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.
How to Contact the Service?
To contact the service please use
the interactive MAP
to direct you to your contact centre.
A member of staff will respond to you and take some personal information,
talk about how the service may be able to help you, and arrange a visit
if needed.
Depending on your circumstances one or more meetings may be arranged either
at the office in Gillingham or at one of the local outreach points which
will be established over the coming months.
For further information please contact:
Lynn Tyler or Sean Meaney
3 Canterbury Street
Gillingham
ME7 5TP
Tel: 01634 582 132
Email: info@livingwellinmedway.org.uk
Web: www.livingwellinmedway.org.uk
Carers Centres Carer's Support Workers
Carers Centres Support Workers
offer support to any carer, not just people who are caring for someone
with dementia. They can help you to access respite funds, and also help
with completing forms for Attendance Allowance, DLA, and Carer's Allowance,
etc.
North West Kent Carers Support Service
North West Kent Carers Support Service was set up in 1989 and provides
a range of services with over 1200 Carers registered in Dartford, Gravesham
and Swanley. Services offered are:
Carers Register – all Carers can register with
us and receive relevant information free of charge.
Home and Office Support – Carers can phone in to the office or be visited at home if in need of additional support.
Kent Carers Emergency Card – a card carried by the Carer explaining that the Carer is looking after someone who may need assistance if the Carer is involved in an accident or taken ill.
Information – all registered Carers receive an informative newsletter, ‘Carers Connect’ which is sent out bi-monthly including any training courses available.
Referral to Caring Confidently in Kent (run by NHS West Kent PCT in Partnership with Kent Adult Social Services) – Carers can be referred to this free learning and support programme that covers aspects such as finding a balance between caring for someone else and looking after your own needs, coping with stress, and how to deal with emergencies at home.
Benefits Advice/Advocacy – comprehensive benefits advice service, including help with form filling and tribunal hearings.
Short Break and Respite Service – a volunteer can be provided to stay with the cared-for person to allow the Carer to ‘take a break’ for up to three hours a week (this service does have restrictions). Help is also available for arranging various levels of respite from other providers.
Support Groups – Support groups are run in the Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley area where Carers can gain information and support from Carers who understand the demands of caring.
Social/fun time – various outings and activities are organised for Carers and the cared-for person.
Better NHS Support for Carers Project – ensuring that Carers receive the right support from their GPs, including annual health checks, priority flu jabs and flexible appointment times. Also support through the hospital discharge process to ensure that Carers are listened to, and involved in the discharge plan for the person they care for. Signposting to relevant support organisations, and referrals for Carers Assessments.
For further information, please contact:
North West Kent Carer Support Service
The Studio
Riverside Resource Centre
Dickens Road, Gravesend
DA12 2JY
Tel: 01474 364 733
nwkcarers@carerskent.org
Better NHS Support for Carers Project
Jo Hankey – Hospital Carer Support Worker – Darent Valley
Hospital and Gravesham Community Hospital 01474 364733 / 07772967024 jo.hankey@carerskent.org
Denise Kilshaw– GP and Community Health Teams, Senior Carer Support
Worker- 01474 364733 / 07805 589232 denise.kilshaw@carerskent.org
From 9.00am to 12.00pm and then from 1.00pm to 4.00pm on Wednesdays at
the Gateway, Gravesham Civic Centre (walk-in information service for Carers,
but by appointment preferred if possible to avoid having to wait). Self
referral or via any professional.
You are welcome to attend any of the support groups. For further information, please go to Dates.
Alzheimer’s Society Outreach Service
Our Dementia Support Worker will visit you at home
to offer advice and support. For an outreach
appointment please call:
East Kent: 0845 04 05 919
Maidstone: 01622 747181
This service covers East
Kent.
Community Lifeline
Community
Lifeline has been established since 1995, and is a family run
private Company offering a wide range of personal care, rehabilitation,
domestic and social care services to people in their own homes, 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
Comprehensive
24-Hour Service: Community Lifeline provides a comprehensive
24-hour care service in the client’s own home, tailored to their
specific needs. By utilising the latest technology systems to monitor
smoke, intruders, inactivity, or the use of a pendent/pull cord alarm,
just to name a few, we can offer a response service to a call at any time,
day or night.
They specialise and provide support for Dementia clients so that they
can remain in their own home of familiar surrounds for as long as possible.
They support the partners and relatives so that they can understand and
support their loved ones and enjoy life to the fullest.
We provide a flexible service, through Person Centred Careplan, that gives
you choice and control.
Some of the examples of service we provide are:
• Assisting with bathing
• Assisting showering
• Assisting continence care and dressing
• Assist with medication
Service Status
Contract Status: This provider has a contract with Kent County Council to enable them to accept service users who are supported by Kent County Council.
The provider agrees to abide by our Contract Specification and Terms and Conditions and the service is monitored by the Council's Contracting staff Community Lifeline (Lifeline Health Limited) is an Approved Provider for Kent County Council.
For further information please contact:
Lifeline Health Limited
Trading as Community Lifeline
59 Station Road
Longfield
Kent
DA3 7QA
Tel: 01474 709 000
Email: enquiries@communitylifeline.co.uk
A variety of support is available to carers of all ages through Kent and Medway (The Princess Royal Trust for Carers). The Carers Centre provides information, support and advocacy including help with benefits, courses, days out, trips and groups. This includes:
• Support Workers
• Young Carers Projects
• Support Groups
• Help with Form Filling
• Newsletters
• Training Courses
• Respite Funds
More information about Carers Centre services in Kent and Medway can be found on The Princess Royal Trust for Carers website.
Support GroupsA number of support groups exist,
in and around Kent and Medway, that enable carers and family members of
people with dementia to meet other people who know what it's like for
them.
The groups offer the opportunity to have regular social contact with other
carers in an informal and friendly environment. It is also a good way
of accessing support, information and useful tips to help with the difficulties
that often arise in the daily life of a carer. A Carers Centre Support
Worker attends the groups to offer a listening ear, support, practical
information and as a link to other support that may be beneficial to you.
The Carers
Centre (Ashford and Shepway) presently has drop-ins in Ashford,
Hythe, Folkestone and New Romney for any carer to come along to. In other
areas of the county there are Carers Support Organisations offering support
groups.
Maidstone & Malling Carers Project
Maidstone & Malling Carers Project is a point of contact for anyone
living in Maidstone, Malling and surrounding rural areas who looks after
a relative, partner or friend. They provide information about local services,
support systems and benefits. The project also offers a free confidential
listening ear is to carers, either face to face or over the telephone.
Help is given to complete benefit claim forms and to make a complaint should things go wrong with services.
Other services include:
• A listening ear
• Support Groups
• Regular Contact
• Kent Carers Emergency Card
• Inforrmation on local services / support
• Information on Entitlements / rights
• Benefits
• Newsletters
• Information Booklets
• Carers Forum
For further information on support and services
available please click on Maidstone
& Malling Carers Project.
Contact details:
Barbara Hagan
39-48 Marsham Street,
Maidstone Community Support Centre
Maidstone
ME14 1HH
Tel: 01622 685276
Email: carers@vam-online.org.uk
For further information on their services please go to Carers FIRST.
Contact details:
Carers FIRST
192 High Street
Tonbridge
Kent
TN9 1BE
Tel: 01732 357555
Fax: 01732 357559
Email: info@carersfirst.org.uk
Goldsborough Home Care
Goldsborough Home Care specialise in home care for individuals who need support to remain independent in their own homes. They provide a variety of care and support services to assist people with the activities of daily living.
Providing older people with the best possible quality of care enables them to make choices about their quality of life.
Domestic services can provide assistance with nutrition, often through basic support tasks like accompanied shopping and helping prepare meals, whilst at the same time helping the individual to retain or regain key skills themselves.
We also offer enhanced services such as those for
older people with physical disabilities, or specialist services for conditions
like dementia or Alzheimer’s.
For further information please contact:
Jane Caulfield-Browne
32 London Road
Tunbridge Wells
TN4 0QA
Tel : 01892 533 040
Fax: 0844 871 7015
Email: jane.caulfield-browne@nestorpic.co.uk
Web: www.goldsborough-home-care.co.uk/Default.aspx
Support workers visit people with
dementia at their home for 2 hours per week. All support workers are professionally
trained and CRB checked. We are registered with CQC and are able to offer
assistance with personal care and medication.
This service currently operates across Maidstone and the West Kent area
(Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells).
For further information about this service, please
contact:
Ellie Potier
Manager, Home Support Service RS
Alzheimer's Society Kent and Medway
Zurich House, Meadow Road
Tunbridge Wells
TN1 2YG
Tel: 01892 559410
Mob: 07962 115828
Email: ellie.potier@alzheimers.org.uk
Deputy Manager: Sue Butcher
Email: SusanMary.Butcher@alzheimers.org.uk
Medway Carers Centre
Family carers often take on great workloads, involving personal care,
emotional support, company and practical support. Many often care day
and night seven days a week. The majority of family carers take on this
role out of sense of love, commitment or duty.
The Centre provides advice, information and support to family carers in
the Medway Area. Since its inception 5 years ago, the number of family
carers using the Centre has increased to around 800 family carers.
The Centre can receive referrals from Social Services, Care Managers,
Social Workers, Hospitals, District Nurses, GP Practices, Educational
Welfare Officers and Health Visitors bas well as from other voluntary
agencies. It is pro-active in raising awareness of family carers' issues
by way of Conferences, talks, outreach work and events.
For further information please go to Medway
Carers Centre or please contact:
Medway Carers Centre
3 Canterbury Street
Gillingham
Kent
ME7 5TP
Tel: 01634 577 340
Email: medwaycarers@aol.com
Hale Place Care Homes Ltd - Dementia Care
We improve the health and wellbeing of older and younger people with dementia by providing a safe, stimulating, loving, warm and caring home environment.
We have been caring for Alzheimer’s sufferers since 1988 and during this time we have built an enviable reputation, second to none, for delivering sensitive care to the very highest standard within small, homely surroundings.
For further information, please go to Hale Place Care, alternatively, please contact:
79 Old Road East Peckham
Tonbridge
TN12 5EN
Tel: 01622 871081
Web: www.haleplace.co.uk
Home Care Solutions Ltd
Home Care Solutions Ltd offers Domiciliary Care for people with dementia
and 24 Live-in-Care for people with dementia. Also, a Day centre for people
who are in the early stages of dementia, as well as monthly Carer Support
meetings.
For further information please contact:
Kevin
Helwett
Home Care Solutions Ltd
77 Old Road, East Peckam
Tonbridge
Kent
TN12 5EN
Telephone: 01622 872177
Email: info@acaresolution.co.uk
Web: www.haleplace.co.uk
East Kent 50+ Project
The Nationwide Foundation funded project has been established to provide
advice and information to people living on the Romney Marsh.
Its aim is two-fold, the first is to offer local people an additional
way of accessing advice and information, secondly to offer agencies already
working with people on Romney Marsh an additional resource to refer its
service users.
The project will be delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of advisers
from both Shepway, Thanet Citizens Advice Bureau’s and Shelter (Ashford).
Funding of this project will provide residents aged 50 years and older,
free and confidential advice and information on a wide range of issues,
for example:
• Welfare Benefits
• Housing
• Debt
The project will also be supported by the Shepway Citizens Advice Bureau
legal service unit which includes a Housing solicitor, Employment specialist
and Social Policy team.
Access to the service will be through a publicised single telephone number
which may result in a face to face appointment booked at sessions held
in Dymchurch, Lydd or St Mary’s Bay.
Alternatively, telephone advice appointments or home visits can be arranged,
written information provided or specialist referrals made to Shelter and/or
Shepway’s legal advice unit.
The service is also scheduled to cover the areas of Canterbury, Birchington,
Minster and Seasalter.
For further details and venues please call Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday
between 9.30am and 1.00pm on 01843 228 083.
Advocacy
Advocacy is a way of helping people, in partnership, to express their views and wishes, so they can be heard.
Making sure that people listen to what you want to say can be difficult for many reasons. These include being unsure of your rights, not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings and, embarrassment. This is no different for people with dementia.
What is different is that sometimes
it is assumed that people with dementia cannot make choices or do not
know what they want. But, if given time, clear information and the chance
to say what they want, many people can express their wishes and play their
part in making informed decisions. This is where an advocate can help.
Partnership in Dementia Care
A joint Dementia Pilot Project between Ashford and Shepway Volunteer Centres and Caring All Together on Romney Marsh (CARM) provides a person-centred approach to befriending and reminiscing with people who have dementia.
The Dementia Pilot, funded by Kent Adult Social Services (KASS), aims to reduce isolation and improve the well-being of people with dementia in the community as well as those in residential care through two key services:
• The Befriending Service provides trained volunteers who visit people with dementia in their homes to provide companionship through a “cup of tea and a chat.”
• The Our Memories Matter (OMM) Service offers reminiscence sessions in residential and day care centres that focus on dementia. The sessions, run by volunteer teams, encourage residents to communicate and interact with one another using “memory triggers” to stimulate discussion.
The pilot project has already seen positive results, with one carer remarking, “I wish my children could have seen their father during the session today. He was (like) the man I married.”
If you are interested in finding out more about this innovative project, please contact the relevant project coordinator in your area:
• Benedict Potts, CARM Befriending Coordinator
(Tenterden)
Tel: 01233 758122
Email: benedict@carmromneymarsh.org.uk
• Beryl Swift, CARM Befriending Coordinator (Romney Marsh)
Tel: 01233 758122
Email: beryl@carmromneymarsh.org.uk
• Jill Brown, Befriending Coordinator, Ashford Volunteer Centre
Tel: 01233 665535
Email: home.visitor@volunteering-ashford.org
• Janet Allen, Befriending Coordinator, Shepway Volunteer Centre
Tel: 01303 259 007
Email: shepwayvolunteercentre@yahoo.co.uk
Belmont Sandbanks
Belmont Sandbanks services is
a purpose built day centre that provides day care facilities for the older
person suffering from dementia and any other mental health problems. It
is a service offering care and support for those living alone or cared
for by others.
For those living alone the service provides a social outlook in addition
to support with their individual disabilities. For those cared for by
others the service offers respite in addition to support and advice. Care
is provided for up to 15 clients daily.
The service is managed by a Registered Mental Nurse in addition to 5 care staff, 1 cook and 2 drivers.
The Day Service
can be accessed either following a referral from Social Services or on
a private basis.
To contact the Day Service please them on their direct
number on 01797 366732.
Potential clients and their families
are encouraged to visit and spend some time in the centre as part of the
assessment process.
For further information please visit Belmont
Sandbanks or email to info@belmontsandbanks.co.uk.
Alternatively please contact:
Sandbanks Care Home
Coast Road
Littlestone-on-Sea
New Romney
Kent
TN28 8RA
Tel: 01797 366810
Madeira Lodge
Madeira Road
Littlestone-on-Sea
New Romney
Kent
TN28 8QT
Tel: 01797 363242
Edendale Care Home
5-6 The Green
St Leonards-on-Sea
East Sussex
TN38 0SY
Tel: 01424 429908
Citizens' Rights for Older
People (CROP)
CROP is a charity setup to do just that. They are not a campaigning organisation,
but a confidential advocacy service.
CROP offers you help and support with the following:-
• As an older person do you need help to make a complaint?
• Are you unsure about making a fuss about poor service?
• Have you suffered an injustice at the hands of central or local
government?
• Can you negotiate satisfactory care services for yourself?
• Do you need help filling in benefit forms?
• Is your landlord keeping to his tenancy agreement?
For further information please go to CROP
and to find your local CROP office please click on Areas
Covered.
Contact details:
CROP
Barham Court Business Centre
Teston
ME18 5PZ
Supporting Care Rights / Making a
Complaint
If you need support to help you
access care rights, or to make a complaint about hospital treatment, there
are organisations in Kent and Medway who can support you.
Details are in our Care
Issues section.
Supporting People from Ethnic Minorities
A number of groups and organisations exist to support people whose first language is not English, or who have distinct religious or cultural needs:
Alzheimer's Disease International has an extremely helpful web page, of contact details and web links for Alzheimer Associations in around 75 different countries around the world. This information is likely to be useful for people living with dementia in Kent and Medway whose first language is not English, and also useful for people who live locally, but have friends or family members living with dementia abroad.
Medway
Council offer an interpretation service seven days a week,
24 hours a day.
Kent
County Council can help you get
information about our services or publications in your language.
Please phone 08458 247 247. An English-speaking operator will take details
of your requirements and arrange a translation or interpreting service.
You may need an English-speaking friend or a family member to help you
with this.
KCC may not be able to meet your requirements
immediately but we will try to provide an interpreter or translation services
as quickly as possible.
Admiral Nursing Service
Admiral Nurses are specialist mental health nurses specialising in dementia.
Admiral Nurses work with family carers and people with dementia, in the
community and other settings. Working collaboratively with other professionals,
Admiral Nurses seek to improve the quality of life for people with dementia
and their carers.
Further information can be obtained via their Admiral
Nurses Leaflet.
To find your local Admiral Nurse location, please go to our Local
Support and Services page.
Dementia Services Development
Centre
The Dementia Services Development Centre South East (DSDCse) serves the
counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey. It is one of several Dementia Services
Development Centres around the UK.
The Centre is a partnership between Canterbury Christ Church University,
Avante Partnership and Dementia UK and is based at Canterbury Christ Church
University.
The aims of the Centre are:
• To support dementia services
• To plan, deliver/improve the quality of services for people with
dementia
• Curriculum design and development
• Teaching and training
Please click on to Find
out more about how the Centre can help you.
Contact details:
The Dementia Services Development Centre South East
Canterbury Christ Church University
North Holmes Road
Canterbury
Kent
CT1 1QU
Telephone: 01227 782602
Further Information
Information on national organizations providing a wide range of advice and support can be found in the Alzheimer's Society factsheet Voluntary organisations.
Last updated: 18th February 2013