Family and friends of people living with dementia across the South West have put in 9.4 million extra caring hours since lockdown began, an Alzheimer’s Society investigation reveals.
The shocking figure has been blamed on the double whammy of lockdown making dementia symptoms worse, and the chronically underfunded social care system leaving them nowhere else to turn.
Nationally, the charity estimates family and friends have spent an extra 92 million hours caring for loved ones with dementia since 23 March.
TV presenter and Alzheimer’s Society supporter Ruth Langsford is urging people across the South West to step out in support of the charity.
The UK’s leading dementia charity is calling on 3,112 people across the region – a combined number that attended last year’s Memory Walks in Bristol, Cheltenham, Plymouth and Bournemouth – to take part in a very different version of its most popular fundraiser.
With the Coronavirus pandemic bringing large fundraising events to a halt, the charity is seeking to replicate 2019’s success with hundreds of smaller walks.
TO HELP mark World Alzheimer’s Month next month (September 2020) the team from a Devon home care provider is offering expert advice to people on spotting the condition’s early warning signs.
Guardian Homecare carers, who care for people in the Exeter and Torbay areas, are trained to recognise dementia and they wish to share their knowledge to help raise awareness.
Catherine Porter who manages Guardian Homecare, which cares for people in the Exeter and Torbay areas, explains: “The Alzheimer’s Society says there are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to...
Experts have increased the number of lifestyle factors known to influence our risk of developing dementia from nine to 12. Taking action on these factors across the life course could delay or prevent the condition in 40 per cent of people who would otherwise develop dementia.
Professor Clive Ballard, of the University of Exeter, is an author on an update to The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care , which is being presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC 2020).
PEOPLE living in south Devon who suffer from dementia can be cared for at home thanks to a specialist training scheme being run by a care provider in the area (June 2020).
Dementia sufferers can receive care where they live, rather than having to go into a residential home, with the help of trained carers working for Guardian Homecare in Exeter.
Catherine Porter, Manager for Guardian Homecare said: “We believe supporting people with dementia is extremely important as it enables them to retain their independence and lead fulfilled lives.
A group of eight dementia researchers from the University of Exeter are aiming to run over 301km – the distance between their laboratory and the Alzheimer’s Research UK head office in Cambridge - before the end of the summer to raise money for pioneering dementia research.
The scientists have all signed up for Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Running Down Dementia challenge.
Running Down Dementia challenges people to run, walk or jog either 100km (Pioneer), 300km (Epic) or their own choice of distance (Maverick) before the end of August to raise money for the UK’s leading...
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic and the significant impact it has had on people living with dementia and those caring for them, Bluebird Care Exeter wanted to provide ideas and support to make life during the current crisis a little easier.
William Flint, Director of Bluebird Care Exeter said: "As part of our response to the COVID-19 crisis, we wanted to find a way to actively address the struggles that many people living with dementia, and those who provide care to them - both professional carers and family carers - are currently dealing with.
The Exeter Dementia Alliance was originally set up to reduce the stigma and misconceptions of dementia by raising local awareness, educating and working with partners towards a more dementia friendly city.
EDAA were due to celebrate their five year anniversary today (Thursday 14th May) at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, but the event was postponed like so many in recent weeks.
Gina Awad, founder and lead of the alliance said: "As we reflect on our journey, like so many organisations and people at this time, we can look back with pride while considering how the ongoing...
A new app released in 2020 is helping carers of those living with dementia to generate fun and joyous activities to keep minds active during lockdown. Produced by Active Minds , Support for Care has over 200 different activities suitable for different stages of the dementia journey which can be conducted within the home.
The app seeks to make activity idea generation easier for those caring for someone living with dementia, to vary offerings and help to improve quality of life and wellbeing. It can be common for activities to become recycled, and the Support for Care app wants to...
New guidance has been developed as part of a major project to support people with dementia and family carers who are facing isolation and reduced services as a result of COVID-19.
A new leaflet features five simple tips, developed using the latest robust research and with the input of people affected by dementia. The leaflet is part-funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), in a project led by the University of Exeter and the NIHR Older People and Frailty Policy Research Unit, with partners including Alzheimer’s Society, Manchester University, Bradford...
