DEMENTIA CHARITIES IN THE UK
Throughout the United Kingdom there are a number of leading dementia charities that help those who have been diagnosed with dementia, their families and their carers.
They raise critical funds in order to address the many aspects of dementia. These include conducting scientific and academic research into the prevention and effective treatment of the condition, the provision of trained and qualified carers, nurses and support staff, supporting family carers in the community caring for a loved one living with the condition and assisting people with dementia to lead a dignified, independent and fulfilled life.
Whilst there are many smaller, regional and specialist dementia charities throughout the UK, the largest and most well-known charitable foundations supporting people living with dementia and their families include:
DEMENTIA UK (INCLUDING ADMIRAL NURSES)
Dementia UK provides specialist dementia support for families through their Admiral Nurse service. When things get challenging or difficult for people with dementia and their families, Admiral Nurses work alongside them, giving the compassionate one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions that can be difficult to find elsewhere....Read More
They are a lifeline – helping families to live more positively with dementia in the present, and to face the challenges of tomorrow with more confidence and less fear.
THE ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY (INCLUDING DEMENTIA FRIENDS)
The Alzheimer’s Society raises funds via membership and strives to help people living with dementia in the UK to achieve the best possible quality of life, as well as providing support and assistance to families and carers. ...Read More
The Alzheimer’s Society also works with people with dementia and their carers to decide which research projects into the treatment and possible cure of the condition are most worth funding. By sponsoring ground-breaking research, the society hopes to continually improve current dementia treatments and ultimately to eradicate the condition
through prevention and cure. Dementia Friends is a nationwide initiative from The Alzheimer’s Society that is aimed at changing how people think, act and talk about dementia, with a view to creating a climate of kindness and understanding so that everyone affected by dementia feels part of society. People are encouraged to become a ‘Dementia Friend’ and complete a short course on how dementia affects people, and then armed with this understanding spend time doing small things that contribute positively to those living with dementia in their communities.
THE SCOTTISH DEMENTIA WORKING GROUP (SDWG)
Funded by Alzheimer Scotland and the Scottish Government, SDWG was founded in 2002 and is an independent dementia charity which campaigns on behalf of, and provides a voice for, people living with dementia in Scotland....Read More
Run by people with dementia, their families and carers, the SDWG’s goal is to improve services for people with dementia and promote better understanding and attitudes towards those affected by the condition.
CONTENTED DEMENTIA TRUST
The Contented Dementia Trust is an innovative dementia charity and has pioneered a different and highly effective way of managing the condition for people with dementia, their carers and family. Called the SPECAL Method, this approach to dementia care takes the view that the condition can be effectively and successfully managed, as opposed to an irreversible medical condition that must be defeated. ...Read More
The SPECAL method of managing dementia is based on an explanation of the experience of the person with dementia, using the analogy of a photograph album to represent the memory system and photographs to represent individual memories. These ‘photographs’ are unconsciously stored, reflecting both facts and feelings of what has just happened a moment before. Dementia is understood as the appearance of a new type of photograph, in which there are no facts, only feelings. Facts and feelings stored in pre-dementia days remain intact and potentially accessible. This significant change requires those of us without dementia to adjust our normal communication skills when engaging with the person with dementia. Caregivers can avoid many areas of distress if they learn to avoid referencing the recent past, unless the person with dementia does so themselves. This understanding gives rise to a set of principles and highly practical skills which enable caregivers to work positively with dementia and connect with the person through the establishment of a common language.
THE LEWY BODY SOCIETY
The Lewy Body Society is a registered dementia charity whose purpose is to fund research into Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). Established in 2006, it is the only UK charity which exclusively focuses upon DLB. The Lewy Body Society’s mission is to raise awareness of DLB among the general public, to educate those in the medical profession and decision-making positions about all aspects of the condition and to support research into it....Read More
The Lewy Body Society has funded a wide range of clinical research into various aspects of DLB, helping to advance the understanding of the condition and its effects upon the brain and, in particular, hastening the testing of new drugs for the treatment of DLB.
AGE UK
Age UK is the largest charity in Britain dedicated to ensuring that people over the age of sixty can continue to enjoy an active, happy, fulfilled and independent lifestyle. Age UK provides advice, guidance and support covering a range of conditions which may affect people in their later years, including dementia....Read More
Funded by donations, retail income from its high street charity shops, charitable activities and other forms of trading, Age UK’s vision is to provide “a world where everyone can love later life”. It hopes to achieve this by funding improvements to, among other things, pensions systems, care provision, rights for older people, housing conditions, the promotion of independence and the eradication of isolation and loneliness.
RICE (THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE CARE OF OLDER PEOPLE)
Founded in 1986, RICE is a registered dementia charity which is committed to undertaking and publishing effective research aimed at improving the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, the quality of life for older people and the knowledge of the ageing process and its effects on the brain and thinking processes....Read More
Besides research, the charity also offers several healthcare services for people living with dementia including a specialist Memory Clinic which can be attended via GP referral, free Cognitive Stimulation Therapy courses, and a dedicated Carers Course for partners, family and carers of those affected by dementia.
WORKING TOGETHER WITH LEADING DEMENTIA CHARITIES
The Good Care Group works collaboratively with a number of dementia charities in the UK, including Dementia UK and The Contented Dementia Trust to ensure the highest standards of dementia care are provided to our clients, whilst ensuring we support families through what can sometimes be a very difficult journey.
PIONEERING THE SPECAL APPROACH
We have worked with the Contented Dementia Trust for over 10 years to introduce the SPECAL approach to the dementia care we provide our clients. It helps us to understand and discover what is important to the person living with dementia, enabling us to develop a purposeful and meaningful programme of care. All our professional carers are trained in the SPECAL approach to dementia care and our management team complete a higherlevel dementia care training programme. It doesn’t stop there. Our care teams receive on-going coaching, mentoring and support based on latest thinking and research that ensure they have the knowledge, skills and aptitude to deliver positive dementia care.
DELIVERING EXPERT DEMENTIA CARE AND SUPPORT WITH DEMENTIA UK
We know how valuable it is for families to have the right support when faced with a dementia diagnosis. Working closely with Dementia UK, we uniquely have our own, full time Admiral Nurse, Dr Jane Pritchard as part of our team. As a specialist nurse, Jane can offer practical and emotional support to our clients and their families at what can be a very difficult time.
VIEW MORE ABOUT OUR DEMENTIA CARE SERVICES
Other conditions we care for
Talk to us about your dementia care needs
Our friendly and experienced team is here to help you and your family make sense of the options available to you. Call us today – we will help you every step of the way.