24
Hour Dementia Helpline - 0800
500 3014
When you first hear the word ‘dementia’, it can stir up a wide
variety of emotions. These can range from being scared, worried, isolated
and confused. These emotions can make you feel depressed, anxious and panicky.
You may not know what will happen next or where to go to for help and advice.
If you are a person who has dementia, or you are a family member, a friend
or a carer and are worried about the condition, we have a 24 hour
a day helpline to help you.
The 24 hour dementia helpline offers a telephone service
where your calls are taken by qualified staff. All calls are treated with
the highest of confidentiality and callers need not give their name if they
wish.
If you have concerns about Alzheimer's disease or about any other form of
dementia, the 24 hour dementia helpline
can provide emotional support and information on different services and
support that you can access.
24 Hour Dementia
Helpline - 0800 500 3014
Need Someone to Talk To?
When you are caring for someone who
has dementia, there may be times when you feel you need someone to talk
to. This may be because you need advice about something, or simply that
you just need a listening ear from somebody who understands your situation.
Anyone who provides, or intends to provide, a substantial
amount of care on a regular basis has a right to a Carer's Assessment. Kent
Adult Social Services (KASS) role is to ensure that carers are supported
and have access to information, practical assistance, emotional support
and help to maintain their own health. Please contact Kent Contact Assessment
Service (KCAS) for further information on the Carers Assessment:
KCAS
Kroner House
Eurogate Business Park
Ashford
TN24 8XU
Tel: 08458 247100 (Text phone is 08458 247905)
Email: contact.assessment.service@kent.gov.uk
For ease of reference we have divided the information on
this page into three groups: online support first, then local contacts,
with national helplines further down the page.
Online Support
The Alzheimer's Talking Point is an online discussion
forum that provides support
for people with dementia and their carers, by allowing you to
'chat' over the internet with other people who understand what it's like
for you.
Local Contacts
Carers Support
There are Carers organisations operating
across Kent and Medway.
They can visit you at home, speak to you on the telephone, or meet at a
mutually convenient venue.
They are there just for you, to listen to you, and perhaps offer some practical
solutions to some of the situations you encounter.
Further information on can be found
on our Local
Support and Services page.
Alzheimer's Society Support
Workers
The Alzheimer's Society local branches have specialist Support Workers, who are familiar with the challenges dementia brings. They can help you access information you may need, as well as providing an understanding ear when you need someone to talk to.
For further information and local
branches in your area please go to the Alzheimer’s
Society’s website. Support Groups A number of support groups exist, in
and around Kent and Medway, that enable carers and family members of people
with dementia to meet and talk to other people who know what it's like for
them.
Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Services
(ADSS)
ADSS support groups provide a sociable environment for both carers and those
they care for. Social events are arranged throughout the year and carers
have the opportunity to gain support through the shared experience of others.
ADSS currently have 3 support groups based in Dartford, Gravesend and Meopham.
Press
Release.
For further information please contact:
Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Services
Basement Flat
Dene Holm House
Dene Holm Road
Northfleet
Kent
DA11 8JY
Tel: 01474 533990
Fax: 01474 325133
Web: www.alzheimers-dementia.org.uk
GP
As well as talking to your GP about
general health matters, you should also talk to your GP if you feel you
or the person you care for may be becoming depressed.
Community Mental Health Team
and Memory Clinics
People with dementia are likely to
receive regular support from the Community Mental Health team. The team
will visit people with mental health problems and dementia in their own
homes to carry out assessments, and provide treatment, care and support.
They can advise people with dementia and their carers on ways of coping,
and ways of improving their health and quality of life. The Community Mental Health team offers
a standard assessment process, which ensures that all relevant aspects of
your needs and circumstances are taken into account. Following this assessment
and in discussion with you and your carer where appropriate, they will agree
with you an individual plan of care. The team aims to promote, maintain
and improve mental health as well as alleviate any distress among you, our
clients, who are the older people in the community. The team also aims to
enable you to live your life fully and as independently as possible.
Further information can be found on
the Kent and Medway
Partnership Trust website.
National Helplines
Admiral Nursing DIRECT is a telephone
helpline, provided by experienced Admiral Nurses and supported by the charity
dementia UK.
What is an Admiral Nurse? You can call Admiral Nurse DIRECT on:
Tel: 0845 257 9406 Further contact details can be found by clicking on the links
below for your area:
Gay and Lesbian Carers Network
The GP has a number of options available to them for treating depression,
these not only include medication, but also referral to services such as
counselling.
It is best to have depression treated as soon as possible, as being depressed
will make living with dementia more difficult: whether you have dementia
yourself or are a carer.
Admiral Nurse DIRECT
It offers practical advice and emotional support to people affected by dementia.
• Specialist mental health nurses work with families affected by dementia
• Working within the National Health Service, supported by dementia
UK
• There are currently only 75 Admiral Nurses in the UK
Email: direct@dementiauk.org
• Dartford,
Gravesham and Swanley Admiral Nurses
• South
West Kent Admiral Nurses
• Maidstone
Admiral Nurses
• Medway
Admiral Nurses
• Dover
Admiral Nurses
• Canterbury
Admiral Nurses
• Thanet
Admiral Nurses
• Shepway
Admiral Nurses
• Ashford
Admiral Nurses
• Swale
Admiral Nurses
Caring for a person with dementia can cause feelings of isolation.
This can be exacerbated by people not understanding different lifestyles.
Alzheimer's Society's Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT)
Support
group is a telephone support service for anyone who is lesbian,
gay, bisexual or transgender and who is affected by any form of dementia
- either by having dementia or as carer of, or a former carer of, someone
with dementia.
For information about the LGBT Support Group please contact
Alzheimer's Society Dementia Helpline on 0845 300 0336 (weekdays 8.30am
to 6.30pm) or their contact details are:
Alzheimer's Society
Devon House
58 St Katharine's Way
London
E1W 1JX
The Alzheimer's Society Gay
and Lesbian Carers Network is a telephone
helpline service staffed by gay men and lesbian women. These trained and
skilled volunteers are able to offer a listening ear.
Samaritans
Samaritans provides confidential emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. You don't have to be suicidal to call. Samaritans are there for you if you're worried about something, feel upset or confused, or you just want to talk to someone.
Tel.: 08457 90 90 90 Elder Abuse Helpline
Web.: www.samaritans.org
Samaritans also have local branches which you can find
online, or in the phone book.
Action on Elder Abuse provides a national,
freephone helpline for anyone concerned in any way about the abuse of older
people.
Elder
abuse is defined by Action on Elder Abuse
as: 'A single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occurring within
any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm
or distress to an older person'.
Tel: 0808 808 8141 (Freephone helpline)
Open 10.00am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
Web: www.elderabuse.org.uk
The Relatives and Residents Association
The Relatives & Residents Association is a national
organisation working to promote the well-being of older residents of care
homes through:
• Support &
Information via the phone helpline 020 7359 8136
• Carrying out project work that focuses on specific issues
• Influencing policy and practice
• Working with local relatives & residents groups in care homes
More information is available on
The Relatives &
Residents Association website.
Helpline: 020 7359 8136
Web: www.relres.org
Alzheimer's Scotland
Alzheimer's Scotland also provide a
helpline for carers (0808 808 3000) which operates 24 hours a day. Carers
from England are welcome to telephone them. Cruse When somebody who has dementia dies
the grief experienced by their families and friends can be a complicated
thing. You may feel you had already lost parts of the person you loved.
You may feel relief. You may feel guilt. It may be months later before it
really sinks in that the person you loved has died. Cruse Bereavement Care provides counselling and support
to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with
their loss. Day by Day helpline: 0870 167 1677 Further Information and Factsheets • Voluntary
organisations - this is an extremely helpful list of many different
organisations who can provide all kinds of support and help, also includes
links to their websites. Back
to Top
Young Person's helpline: freephone 0808 808 1677
Email: helpline@crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Web: www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
• Carers
- looking after yourself
• Understanding
and respecting the person with dementia
• Depression
• Feelings
of guilt
• Grief
and bereavement
• People's
experiences of caring
Carewell
Carewell is a comprehensive online
resource containing information and support for carers including guidance
on how to manage stress levels, getting a better quality night’s sleep,
eating healthily and how to increase physical activity on a busy schedule.
Plus, there's a forum to discuss, comment, contribute ideas and share top
tips with other carers. Further information can be found by visiting the
Carewell website.
For
more information about using the DementiaWeb website go Help.
Last updated: 14th May 2012