West Lancs Dementia Friendly Community

Live Online Learning Dementia Carers Count provide courses designed and delivered by health and care professionals, that will help you develop skills and build confidence to navigate the highs and lows of caring for someone with dementia. Learning how to make your life manageable and maintain your own health and well-b...

"I felt much less isolated after the training. It can be so hard trying to care for someone living with dementia, and it feels very lonely at times. But to see and hear from others in the same situation really helped me feel less isolated and gave me the inspiration to keep going.”

We understand that it’s incredibly difficult to look after yourself when you’re caring for someone else. But it’s impossible to care for someone else well, when you’re not ok. We want to help you.

Book your free Mood and Motivation session today: http://ow.ly/Hx5650JslLV

Supporting a loved one with dementia can have an affect on your own mental health. Especially if the person you care for has low mood.

Our free, online, Mood and Motivation training gives you practical steps in how to boost your own mood and the mood of person you are supporting.

Next session is Monday 9th May, 6pm - 7.30pm.

Take care of your mental health, book support now : http://ow.ly/IVTK50IqkZp

It can feel risky taking someone with outdoors, but research shows that just 15 minutes of engaging with nature improves sleep, communication skills, memory, mood and can even slow the progression of the condition.

With the right support anything is possible.

To find out more visit: https://dementiaadventure.co.uk/friends-and-family/

🧠 Delirium is a state of mental confusion that comes on suddenly. It can have a huge impact on the way a person behaves and functions, especially if they have dementia.

🤔 People can become more confused and/or disorientated than usual and have difficulty concentrating.

There are two types of delirium commonly known.👇

1️⃣ Hyperactive delirium causes confusion that fluctuates throughout the day, with the person often feeling agitated or restless
2️⃣ Hypoactive delirium makes people more sleepy and less responsive.

Being in hospital and the length of stay can contribute to people experiencing delirium. As can a UTI, being dehydrated, pain, low blood sugar, mini strokes (TIA), being onstipated, surgery or being need end of life.

ℹ️ If at home seek medical advice immediately. If in a care home or hospital inform staff of your concerns. Keep calm, reassure, stay with the person, avoid arguments and keep hydrated.

If you support someone living with dementia at home we would like to invite you to join a one-off focus group looking at how we can help prevent loneliness for people in similar situations to you.

The ideas you suggest will be put into resources that will be shared during Mental Health Awareness week in May.

The focus group lasts for 1 hour, it's online and it's free. If you would like to share your experiences and ideas to help others, book your place today.

http://ow.ly/Ocwt50HPzvB

Some helpful tips 🔽

Our young onset dementia ID cards can be used by people living with the condition and their family members and friends. They can be useful if you ever find yourself in a situation when you may little a bit of help from others. You can request the ID cards via our website: https://www.youngdementianetwork.org/resources/young-onset-id/

🥇Dementia can bring many changes to a person’s life. Working on a goal can have a positive impact, provide a focus and make a person feel more confident and in control.

📚' My Life, My Goals' is a self-help guide created for people in the early stages of dementia by people with dementia and researchers.

Download for free here👇

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/life-after-dementia-diagnosis-guide-setting-reaching-goals

😩Pain

It can be difficult to detect if people living with dementia are experiencing pain. Even when asked they can say 'No'. Therefore, we need to become a detective 🧐 if we suspect they could be.

Signs are;

😞 Suddenly shouting out or groaning. This could be accompanied with people touching or rubbing the area of pain.

😞 Increased agitation, unable to settle, dustrubed sleep or sleeping more.

😞Physical symptoms, change in facial expressions (see image below), sweating, looking hot/pale, limping, holding the area of pain i.e mouth/chest/head.

😞Disengaged, low in mood.

😞Refusing personal care/ flinch when touched.

😞Changes in appetite

Always seek advice of a health care professional if you suspect your loved one is experiencing pain.

Please find attached the flier for our next free zoom family carers course starting on Thursday 27th January at 7pm and then at the same time for the next 3 weeks. Please contact Diane to sign up. Her email/phone number is on the flyer.

Please also forward it on to anyone you think may be interested.

❄️ Make sure you take a look at our 'Preparing for winter checklist'.

With advice and tips, this checklist will help with how to look after yourself and your home over these colder months.

Make sure you stay well this winter: https://www.independentage.org/staying-well-in-winter

This Carers Rights Day, we're standing up for the UK’s 9 million carers, 700,000 of whom are caring for someone living with dementia.

Too many family and friend are exhausted, stressed and struggling to make ends meet, while determined to give their loved ones the quality of life they deserve.

With the Government soon to be publishing White Papers on social care reform which will lay the foundations for a social care bill, we must ensure our unsung heroes are supported every step of the way. With your help, we have an opportunity to influence these plans.

Join us today by sharing your hopes for the future of social care. Your voice matters. The more people who share their hopes with us, the greater chance we have of the Government listening to us – now and in the future.

Loved ones need timely care assessments and better support. They need to be supported by the system, too.

https://bit.ly/3qGGmgy

The team at West Lancashire Cemetery & Crematorium can’t wait to welcome local families back ‘in person’ for this year’s Christmas Carol and Remembrance Service, on Wednesday 15 December at 6.30pm.

The service provides a valuable opportunity for families and friends to come together and remember their loved ones in the run up to Christmas.

To find out more about our Christmas service and how you can view the event online please click the following link: https://bit.ly/3qIRqd4

If you are in or near Liverpool next week please come along to this event

Our free Thinking Differently About Dementia training is for people supporting a friend or family member with dementia at home.

You'll learn about the condition and its variety of symptoms, and receive practical advice on how to overcome barriers, connect and communicate.

Book your free session today: https://dementiaadventure.co.uk/what-we-do/training-and-consultancy/dementia-skills-sessions/dss-tdad/

For some people living with dementia, personal care can take a back seat. Bathing🛀 cleaning teeth🪥 hair 💇‍♂️shaving 🧔 and changing clothes👗🧥🧦 can become a challenge.

🎦 Here is a great video from Tepa Snow on cleaning teeth and some tips below on changing clothes and getting dressed.

https://youtu.be/6gLrH8mioCw

Evidence-based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is now available for people living with mild to moderate dementia in West Lancs...if you would like more details or to register your interest, please phone Age UK Lancashire on 0300 303 1234, email [email protected] or visit https://www.ageuk.org.uk/lancashire/our-services/cognitive-stimulation-therapy/ where you can read more about the success of the Age UK Lancs 2019/20 CST Pilot Programme.

Eligibility and suitability criteria applies.

Guide: Support Your Loved One With Dementia Dementia Journey Advice

Age UK Lancashire are delighted to be delivering Cognitive Stimulation Therapy to small groups and to individuals living with mild to moderate dementia in West Lancs. Sessions are fun, stimulating and varied with a different theme each week. To find out more, visit https://www.ageuk.org.uk/lancashire/our-services/cognitive-stimulation-therapy/ or phone 0300 303 1234.

Every 3 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with dementia. It is estimated over 1 million people will be living with dementia in the UK by 2025.

Dementia Adventure support people with dementia to live well, by helping them to continue to do the things they love and access the vital wellbeing benefits of nature, the outdoors and meaningful activity.

Here's how we can support you:
🌿 Supported holidays and days out
🌿 Dementia Skills Sessions for friends and family
🌿 Training & Consultancy
🌿 Research

Find out more at dementiaadventure.org

These are the five key messages that we think everyone should know about dementia.

During a Dementia Friends Session, we learn about each key of these messages through activities and interactive discussion.

Not a Dementia Friend yet?

Join us here: bit.ly/38m8HiF

🗣️How we respond to people living with dementia REALLY does matter.

🤗 Give yourself a moment to think how you can reframe your response to their questions, its most probably coming from a place of need 💜

Helping you stay connected

Lancashire Adult Learning are supporting Dementia Action Week 2021 with FREE fun and engaging online taster sessions for those living with dementia and their carers. For more details and to enrol on any sessions that take your fancy, just visit this interactive link:

https://www.flipsnack.com/E5E6FCAA9F7/lancashire-adult-learning-dementia-action-week/full-view.html

Join Abigail from Age UK Lancashire for a 45 minute Dementia Friends Information session on Zoom as part of Dementia Action Week 2021. During this friendly & interactive session, you'll learn more about dementia, how it affects a person and what you can do to make a difference to people living with dementia in your community.

Big or small, every action counts so sign up and become a Dementia Friend this Dementia Action Week! The free session takes place on Wed 19th May at 10am and you can book via the link here:
https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/WEBSessionDetails?id=a055I00000K7l40QAB

Come and join in the fun at the online Dementia Hub launch on Wed 19th May 2-3.30pm! Facilitated by the Age UK Lancs Dementia Community Links team and aimed at people living with dementia, family carers & organisations in West Lancs, Chorley & South Ribble. Tech support available to access Zoom. Contact us on [email protected] for more info including the Zoom link and let's make a success of this until we can host "face to face" Hubs again. Come and share what you would like to see at future Hubs. Everyone welcome.

New online Dementia Hub launching soon! If you or someone you know is living with dementia and wants the chance to socialise and find out about other local support, join us on 19th May!

More details here: https://bit.ly/3eDYT5A

Is getting a diagnosis easy❓

Sadly, in many cases it isn't. From families I work with there are many obstacles to overcome and it's incredibly stressful.

Some barriers I hear regularly are;

💧Denial - their loved one thinks there is nothing wrong and refuses to see the GP or accept help.

💧Stigma & Fear - fear of loosing their independence, all they have worked for or going into a care home.

💧Lack of knowledge on Dementia and care options available.

💧Difficulties for health care professionals to accurately identify & diagnose.

Diagnosis can take up to many years and by this point many carers are relieved they have a name to the condition and that others believe them😢

Right now, our flawed social care system means that nearly a million UK families are struggling to care for their loved ones with dementia, with the dignity and support they deserve.

Decades of chronic under-funding have led to a system that’s difficult to access, costly, inadequate and unfair - and the majority of users of that social care system are people with dementia.

Ahead of Dementia Action Week (17 - 23 May 2021), sign our petition calling on the Government to cure the care system now. To provide quality social care, that’s free and easy to access, no matter where you live. Because while dementia isn’t curable yet, the care system is. Sign our petition: https://bit.ly/2QZJeoK.

There is still a lack of knowledge and stigma of dementia. Over the next couple of weeks I will be posting about facts, myths and the most commonly asked questions I get asked. Firstly.....

❓What is Dementia🤔

🔵 Dementia is an umbrella term to describe a group of related symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning (NHS, 2021).

🔵 There are many different causes of dementia, and many different types - over 150.

🔵 People often get confused about the difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia and, together with vascular dementia, makes up the majority of cases.

🔵 Alzheimer's Disease is the most common (60%), with Vascular dementia the second (20%), thirdly - Lewy Bodies (15%) and fourthly- Frontotemporal Dementia (5%). More than one type of dementia i.e Alzheimer's & Vascular is known as mixed Dementia.

🔵 52% of people in the UK know a person living with dementia.

🔵 Sadly, not everyone living with dementia has a diagnosis. Lots of reasons for this.

🔵 Dementia affects the whole family, not just the person living with the diagnosis.

🔵 Dementia is NOT just about memory loss.

Source Alzheimer's Research UK

Do you support a friend or family member who has dementia?

Come and join one of our brand new, free, 'Nature is Calling' drop-in sessions 🌻

Research shows that connection to nature, has significant wellbeing benefits for people living with dementia. It can improve mood, sleep, concentration, appetite and communication skills. It can also help to slow the increase of symptoms and prevent onset of the condition.

In a relaxed and informal atmosphere, we'll look at why getting outdoors is essential to the wellbeing of people with dementia, and how to overcome barriers to getting outdoors, whether physical, mental or emotional. There will be plenty of room for discussion with people in a similar situation and opportunity to ask questions.

There are 3 different sessions, you can attend them all or the one that most applies to you. Find out more and book your free place, today!

https://dementiaadventure.co.uk/nature-is-calling/

Know someone who might enjoy 10 FREE ONLINE SINGING SESSIONS in exchange for taking part in a valuable research study?

University of Nottingham are conducting an important study of online singing for dementia. Their research, funded by the Alzheimer's Society, is open to people living with dementia who can join with their carers until 31 May, 2021. See details on attached flyer.

Please pass on the information to anyone who might be interested! 🙏

Connecting with people living with dementia is so important. Communication maybe different compared to how it used to be. Although you can still engage through the language of love, kindness and acceptance 💜

⚠️ Dementia Delirium and Depression (The 3 D's) are all serious health conditions in older people. Their symptoms overlap and co exist which can make it difficult to diagnose and treat.

ℹ️ Delirium occurs suddenly (over a matter of hours or days) and the symptoms tend to fluctuate throughout the day; depression describes a negative change in mood that has persisted for at least two weeks; and the onset of dementia is generally slow and insidious.

More information below in this helpful table and from Dementia UK
https://www.dementiauk.org/delirium/