Dementia Carers Online Carer Groups
Meet and share with other dementia carers as well as take the opportunity for breakout sessions for further support with Carers Support West Sussex Dementia Team members,and representative from our partner organisations including Alzheimer's Society and Sage House.
Information and Support
Whether your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or is displaying symptoms but has not yet been diagnosed, let us support you.
You can get one-to-one support by telephone or face-to-face. Contact us for more information about our Carer Assessments and support plans.
Support with finances
As a carer registered with us, you can apply for a grant from our Carer Health and Wellbeing Fund. We will help identify any concerns you have about your caring role, your goals, and how we may be able to help you achieve these. You may be entitled to certain benefits.
If you would like more information about any of these services, please call us on 0300 028 8888 or email info@carerssupport.org.uk
Tips for caring for someone with Dementia
You can boost self-esteem, help to avoid depression and even improve sleep by encouraging your cared for to:
- Stay active for both physical and mental wellbeing
- Meet with other people as this can help with skills and memory
- Make everyday tasks as simple as possible and allow plenty of time
- Driving and dementia – what you need to know
- Keep important items in the same place
- Use visual aids, such as photos on cupboards showing the contents
- Remove trip hazards. See this useful guide from Dementia UK.
- If the person gets up during the night, leave a light on – better still request a sensor light from us at Carers Support West Sussex, provided as part of our Carer Equipment Service.
- Talk about events or themes from the person’s past, using prompts such as photos, souvenirs or music. West Sussex Libraries have a useful reminiscence collection.
- Talk to other dementia carers online.
Useful Links
Sage House (Tangmere) Dementia Support is an exciting local charity working in partnership with voluntary and charitable organisations, the NHS, West Sussex County Council and other statutory organisations, to create a unique community hub for dementia. Designed to truly enhance the wellbeing and quality of life for local people living with dementia, their family and carers.
Alzheimer’s Society Their mission is to transform the landscape of dementia forever. Until the day we find a cure, they strive to create a society where those affected by dementia are supported and accepted, able to live in their community without fear or prejudice.
NHS Dementia Choices This site offers information for people with dementia and their families and friends. It aims to raise awareness of dementia, as well as help people create networks and better understand the impact of the condition. There are also links to lots of information on dementia and sources of local and national support.
Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust Information about local services from the county’s NHS Mental Health services.
Tuvida covers the counties of West Sussex and parts of Hampshire, offering a full range of flexible services for adults and children with various disabilities or health conditions. This includes Day, Evening and Night services, Self Funding services and Social Clubs.
Age UK West Sussex Brighton and Hove Your one stop shop for advice and support across the county.
Admiral Nurses Admiral Nurses provide the specialist dementia support that families need. When things get challenging or difficult, their nurses work alongside people with dementia, and their families: giving them one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions.
Know Dementia Telephone support, a visit to your home, time to talk, social activities through our ‘Moments’ sessions: Sporting Moments, Memory Moments Cafés, Green Moments and Musical Moments. Opportunities to meet others in the same position as you, advice on finance and care provision, training on how to cope with the diagnosis, help to set up a dementia friendly community.
Local Wellbeing Hubs The Wellbeing service can help you to find local wellbeing information and services. From this website to the teams in your local area, you can get advice and support on how to make small changes to improve your health and wellbeing, including how to stop smoking, how to become more active or how to make your meals healthier.
Burgess Hill Dementia Action Alliance
Chichester Dementia Action Alliance
Crawley Dementia Action Alliance
Haywards Heath Dementia Action Alliance
Horsham District Dementia Action Alliance
Bognor Dementia Action Alliance
Worthing Dementia Action Alliance
Dementia Adventure Dementia Adventure is a registered charity that is dedicated to supporting people to live well with dementia and have a sense of adventure in their lives. We believe in the benefits to be gained from regular, active engagement with the natural world.
tide is a UK-wide charity aiming to change the way carers are recognised, valued, and treated. It tells carer stories and offers a wide range of online courses and support groups for carers.
Carers Health Team are a team of health professionals who aim to promote the health and wellbeing of carers. They are a free service provided by Sussex Community NHS Trust providing support for carers over the age of 18 registered with a West Sussex GP. They work directly with carers and will develop individual strategies for each carer with an aim to reduce the strain of coping with their caring role.
Meri Yaadain (My Memories) is an organisation which supports Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) carers who face barriers in accessing information, services and advocacy.
Bring Dementia Out addresses the challenges faced by LGBT people living with dementia and those who are supporting them.
Blogs for dementia carers
See our blogs below for stories of how carers are coping with dementia.
A carer who has written movingly about dementia and living grief and how taking part in our recent bereavement workshops have helped her. Read her story here.
Life coach Amanda Jones, who has had wide experience of working with people with dementia, has written a blog for us about regaining your sense of self as a carer. Read her thoughts here.
And one of our newest carers talks about the challenges and rewards of caring for someone with dementia. Read his story here.
You can also find a host of other blogs on the Alzheimer’s Society website at https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog
Dementia Adventure have written about the positive benefits of getting into nature for both our physical and mental health. See here.
Finally, you can read about how we as dementia carer workers have helped support our carers during this last year. See here.
Videos
Jacqui Smith, an interiors professional and chair of the Haywards Heath Dementia Action Alliance, has created this useful video on understanding the importance of colour contrasts in your home.
Dementia Carer Newsletter
If you’re not already subscribed and would like to be added to the mailing list for our monthly updates for dementia carers call our Response Line on 0300 028 8888 of email us at info@carerssupport.org.uk and ask to be added to our subscription list.
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