An innovative service that will transform the lives of people with dementia in Birmingham will be the focus of a roadshow set to visit Birmingham in two weeks.
Dementia Connect is Alzheimer’s Society’s new pioneering, expert service for people affected by dementia. It will connect them to the right support, at the right time, in the right way. The charity’s goal is to reach everyone with a diagnosis of dementia and offer help by 2022.
On Tuesday 18 June and Wednesday 19 June, experts from Alzheimer’s Society will be on hand to explain how the service works, in The Fort, 20 Fort Parkway, Birmingham, B24 9FP between 10am and 2pm.
Dementia Connect offers personalised support to people living with dementia, as well as their carers and families. Specially trained Dementia Advisers provide expert advice, information and signposting.
The service combines local face-to-face support with telephone and online advice to help people come to terms with their diagnosis and navigate the maze of health and social care services.
It works hand-in-hand with clinical and social care, allowing health and social care professionals to refer people through a simple online form, connecting them to the support they need without delay. People can also self-refer.
The Dementia Connect service enables Alzheimer’s Society to provide more streamlined and person-centred support. It also means that if a person’s needs change, they will continue to get the help that works best for them.
Janice Le Tellier, Area Manager for Alzheimer’s Society Midlands Central said: “Dementia Connect cuts through any confusion and delay for people in finding the right local support. Our highly-trained Dementia Advisers carry out a comprehensive assessment – making sure that people affected by dementia get the right support, at the right time, in the right way.
“Dementia can devastate lives. Too many are facing the condition alone without adequate support. We want everyone affected by dementia to know that whoever you are, whatever you are going through, you can turn to Alzheimer’s Society for support, help and advice.”
There are 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia and the national number is set to rise to one million by 2021. The condition is now the UK’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes.
Janice added: “The feedback we have received so far from people affected by dementia about the service has been excellent, with 100 per cent of people saying that it gave them useful information and 97 per cent saying they felt their needs were understood.
“We’re urging anyone affected by dementia, as well as health and social care professionals, to visit the roadshow where they can find out more about the service.”