Dementia Directories 

Information for people living with dementia and their carers

There is a lot of excellent support available for people looking after loved ones, but it can be really difficult to know what help is out there and where it can be found.

Help can be grouped into the following information and support services:

• Practical support around the home
• Living well - groups and activities for people living with dementia
• Help for carers and peer support
• Support for people with early onset dementia
• Information on carer support in Nottinghamshire

Practical support around the home

Generally people are happiest in their own homes and the right package of support may enable them to live independently for longer. There are a number of practical, specialised support services for people living with dementia and people who are frail. This can include respite care, support at home, help with benefit checks, practical steps like power of attorney, specialist equipment for the home, and careline - all of which can make a huge difference to someone's quality of life.

Help can also include care packages, detectors and alarms to alert someone if your loved one has a fall, and occupational therapy - giving you access to physiotherapy and equipment in the home (ramps, chairs, and specialist mobility equipment).

Click on Nottinghamshire County Council's excellent booklet below to find out more.

Living well - groups and activities for people living with dementia

Groups and activities can be a vital lifeline for people living with dementia and their carers, helping to reduce isolation, increasing wellbeing and developing a community of support.  

Ashfield Voluntary Action runs groups and activities with a strong social element, providing games, crafts, chatter and enjoyable trips to local garden centres, dementia friendly film screenings, choirs and the highly popular annual cruise on the River Trent.

We have directories which have been compiled by Ashfield Voluntary Action and the Ladybrook Centre, both of which list social activities and groups for people living with dementia.

Help for carers and peer support

There are a number of carer support groups across the district, providing the opportunity to meet with others who understand the challenges of supporting someone living with dementia and the frail. As well as support, sessions include guest speakers helping with benefit checks, safeguarding information, application support, financial advice, ways to keep you safe from scams, information on respite and help to support independence in the home.

Support for people with early onset dementia

People living with early or young onset dementia and their carers can feel particularly isolated, as services are often geared towards older people living with dementia.

The Young Dementia Network (an initiative supported by Dementia UK) has lots of useful resources. This includes information sheets supporting people through diagnosis, a personal checklist for anyone who has concerns about young onset dementia, and a searchable database of services and groups. Click HERE to find out more. 

Information on carer support in Nottinghamshire

Carers are often family members and in the case of spouses of older and frail people they may have their own health issues to deal with. People also do not recognise themselves as carers and may not realise that they are entitled to benefits and other support. Nottinghamshire County Council produces an excellent booklet explaining what is on offer and how services complement each other and can be downloaded by clicking on the image to the left.

Click HERE to download AVA's Directory of Activities and Groups  supporting people living in Ashfield and Mansfield with dementia and their carers.

Click HERE for information on sessions delivered at Ladybrook Community Centre in Mansfield.