Dementia is not a single disease. It's an overall term to describe a collection of symptoms that one may experience if they are living with a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Diseases grouped under the general term "dementia" are caused by abnormal brain changes.
Dementia symptoms trigger a decline in thinking skills, also known as cognitive abilities, severe enough to impair daily life and independent function. They also affect behaviour, feelings and relationships.
For more information, please visit Alzheimer's Association - What is dementia
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common dementia diagnosis among older adults. It is caused by changes in the brain, including abnormal build-ups of proteins known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
Frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of dementia that tends to occur in people younger than 60. It is associated with abnormal amounts or forms of the proteins tau and TDP-43.
Lewy body dementia, a form of dementia caused by abnormal deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein, called Lewy bodies.
Vascular dementia, a form of dementia caused by conditions that damage blood vessels in the brain or interrupt the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
Korsakoff syndrome (also known as Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome) is a memory disorder that results from vitamin B1 deficiency and is associated with alcoholism. Korsakoff's syndrome damages nerve cells and supporting cells in the brain and spinal cord, as well as the part of the brain involved with memory.
Dementia symptoms may include problems with:
- memory loss
- thinking speed
- mental sharpness and quickness
- language, such as using words incorrectly, or trouble speaking
- understanding
- judgement
- mood
- movement
- difficulties doing daily activities
For more information, please visit NHS - What is dementia
If you live in Wolverhampton and are concerned about memory loss for yourself, a relative or friend and need someone to talk to please contact Memory Matters on 01902 553445 alternatively contact your local GP.
Once you have been notified with a diagnosis, Dementia Connect are here to support.
Dementia Connect, from Alzheimer’s Society, is a new personalised dementia support service for anyone affected by dementia.
It connects you with a whole range of dementia support, by phone, online and face to face. So, you’re one call away from someone who gets it. One click away from answers. One conversation away from help.
It’s free, easy to access, and puts you in touch with our dementia advisers. They will connect you to the support you need, from local help to phone and online advice.
Here are a few examples the support provided:
- emotional support when things get tough
- connecting you to local support groups
- help to understand and live with dementia, including coping techniques
- support with everyday living, such as government benefits
Any referrals now go through our new Dementia Connect Service. The telephone number is 0333 150 3456. Lines are open 7 days per week. Calls to this number are charged at a local rate.
Referrals can be received from professionals, people who have a diagnosis of dementia, friends and family members.
Professionals can also refer into the Dementia Connect service via the online secure portal.
The Alzheimer's Society, in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council, organises free Dementia Cafes for people living with dementia and their carers.
Dementia cafés offer a place where people living at home with diagnosed dementia, their friends and carers can meet for informal support. Cafes provide a welcoming environment where everyone understands the challenges of the condition or caring for someone who is living with it. The group is run by Alzheimer's Society trained Staff and Volunteers; there is usually a talk on a relevant subject, interesting activities and information on local services.
Drinks and biscuits are provided. The groups are very informal and friendly and we welcome new people. The cafes do not provide personal care or act as a 'drop-off' service for carers.
Wolverhampton's Dementia Cafes are a monthly meeting for people with dementia or memory loss, their families and friends. They also continue to hold regular online “zoom groups”.
For further information please contact email blackcountryoffice@alzheimers.org.uk or call 07484 089515.
These services were operational as detailed at the time of writing this document. Please check with individual services what they are delivering, should their service hours have changed.
Dementia Connect, from Alzheimer’s Society, is a new personalised dementia support service for anyone affected by dementia.
It connects you with a whole range of dementia support, by phone, online and face to face. So, you’re one call away from someone who gets it. One click away from answers. One conversation away from help.
It’s free, easy to access, and puts you in touch with our dementia advisers. They will connect you to the support you need, from local help to phone and online advice.
Here are a few examples of the support we provide:
- emotional support when things get tough
- connecting you to local support groups
- help to understand and live with dementia, including coping techniques
- support with everyday living, such as government benefits
Any referrals now go through our new Dementia Connect Service. The telephone number is 0333 150 3456. Lines are open 7 days per week. Calls to this number are charged at a local rate
Referrals can be received from professionals, people who have a diagnosis of dementia, friends and family members
Professionals can also refer into the Dementia Connect service via our online secure portal.
Our online community forum which has seen a huge increase in usage during the lockdown is a great resource. An online community for all to ask questions and receive advice from people in similar situations. It’s a free tool to use.
And obviously the biggest resource is the Alzheimer’s society website. Obtain/Download publications find out what is happening within the society and how you get involved.
Not forgetting our other publications such as care and cure our research magazine and dementia together magazine.
A vast amount of resources on the website including the new Lives on Hold Campaign. Lives on Hold shows how life for carers of people living with dementia is similar to living in lockdown for many months, and often years. As life begins to get back to a new kind of normal for most people, families living with dementia will see little change.
Dementia Helpline - Alzheimer's Helpline - reach out to an Admiral Nurse -The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is for anyone with a question or concern about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. From looking out for the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s, to understanding the challenges of living with someone with vascular dementia, our specialist Admiral Nurses have the knowledge and experience to understand the situation and suggest answers that might be hard to find ...
Introducing Admiral Nurse Service to Wolverhampton Black Country Health Care NHS Foundation Trust
Admiral Nurses provide the specialist support that families need to face dementia. When things get challenging or difficult, Admiral Nurses work alongside families, carers and people living with Dementia giving the compassionate one-to-one support, expert guidance, and practical solutions to families with high complexities, helping them to live more positively with dementia in the present, and to face the challenges of tomorrow with more confidence and less fear.
Admiral Nurses are continually trained, developed, and supported by Dementia UK, and offer their skills to further enhance the level of expertise with local health and wellbeing departments, though raising awareness of Dementia and supporting professional development.
Both Admiral Nurses Team lead Stacey Harrison (RMN) and Wonda Heritage (RMN) have special interest in Dementia Care and look forward to working alongside you to continue to improve the experience for those caring and living with Dementia.
The Admiral Nurse Service is based at Brooklands Health Centre, Brooklands Parade, Wolverhampton, WV12ND Monday – Friday 8am- 4pm (excluding bank holidays)
They can be contacted on 01902 442422. Emails are Stacey.harrison3@nhs.net & wonda.heritage@nhs.net
If you require an Admiral Nurse, please discuss with your GP and request a referral.
Virtual Bereavement Information Hubs
- Every Tuesday 2—3.30pm
- Every Thursday 10—11.30am
- Every Friday 11am-12.30pm – For people from the South Asian community
An informal friendly space for anyone experiencing bereavement, grief or loss to share their experience.
*Please note: This is not a counselling service. Information and signposting to other services is available if required.
For more information and to book your space please call 01902 774570
Website: comptoncare.org.uk
Email: compassionatecommunities@comptoncare.org.uk
Compassionate Communities – Compton Care Activities offered
Life Cafés – Life Cafés are gatherings where people do a series of creative activities together that are designed to stimulate conversations about, wellbeing, life: the meaning of it, the end of it, and care. The whole session typically lasts a couple of hours, and the activities are chosen by facilitators from a kit that’s about the size of a large board game.
Digital Legacy - A digital legacy session helps individuals to make plans for the items they own and for those they care about in the physical world. When using the internet and connected devices, it is also important that plans are made for the items that people own and for those they care about in the digital world. This session has been developed by the Digital Legacy Association.
Dementia Friends Awareness Session – A member of the team can run a Dementia Friends Awareness session with your group so that you are all become Dementia Friends and can help people in your community living with Dementia. During this friendly and interactive session, we help to increase understanding of dementia, and think about the small things that people can do to make a difference to people affected by dementia in the community.
Understanding Bereavement Workshop – This thought-provoking workshop explores how grief affects people, behaviours relating to grieving and how to support people who are grieving.
For more information people can contact us on 01902 774570 or email Compassionatecommunities@comptoncare.org.uk
The Carer Support Team have been in Wolverhampton for over 20 years. We currently work with over 7000 adult carers. We continually advertise the offer to carers hoping to identify the 21000 carers who remain ‘hidden’ in Wolverhampton (27,000 people identified as a carer in 2011 census)
- We offer statutory Care Act 2014 Carers Conversations (Carers Assessments) resulting in a Care and Support plan which is annually reviewed and updated. The care and support plan looks at what support is available to enable a carer to continue in their caring role. Support such as family and friends plus the availability to have a break. Also connecting carers to organisations and specific information will enable then to continue in their caring role.
- Emergency card, contingency planning. This is vital to carers knowing a plan has been arranged so if they become unwell there is someone to look after the person they care for.
- Carers bulletins and regular information updates
- Carers face to face meetings
- Carers weekly Zoom groups
- Specialised Carers welfare rights information and advice
- Availability of a carer support worker five days a week on 553409 to answer general enquires or offer support to carers whose caring role may have increased
- Home Based Respite (sitting service) is available if identified as an outcome during the carers conversation
- One off Home Based Respite is available for carers to attend medical appointments
- One off Direct Payments are also available if identified as an outcome of the carers conversation.
- Ongoing Direct Payments to support carers to have a break also identified as an outcome of the carers conversation
Community Support Service currently offers connections to wellbeing support, to enable members of the community connect with others. Also links into services to enable people to remain independent at home. For support contact 01902 553445
During the Covid restrictions Memory Matters continued to run via telephone, Zoom and Microsoft Teams where appropriate.
- Memory Matters continued ongoing work with members of the community with their memory concerns and their Carers
- Collaborative worked with Alzheimer’s Society in supporting people within the community with information, advice, and regular befriending calls to help them remain connected and offer support when needed
- Publicised Dementia information @Community Offer Twitter page, highlighting Carers events and webinars
- Standalone events through Covid were well attended via zoom and teams
- Supported the Carers Support Team on events to promote wellbeing and understanding of changes in memory
- Supported Dementia Action week in 2021 with am and pm slots for one-to-one telephone support
Moving Forward
- We are hoping to relaunch Memory Matters back into our Community during Dementia Action week
- BCHFT has been contacted to see if they can continue to support Memory Matters on pops like pre Covid
- Collaborative work to continue with Alzheimer’s Society to encourage early diagnosis
In response to current government guidelines and spiking rates of Covid 19, MAS Wolverhampton are currently offering telephone/video and face to face consultations to carry out memory assessment. The referrals mainly come from GPs and this remains open as the referral contact. Where diagnosis is reached and post diagnostic support is required, a referral is made to the Alzheimer’s society through Dementia Connect referral system. For further information contact 01902 442 391
Contact Numbers - Consumer Advice 0808 223 1133
Campaigns
Friends Against Scams
Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative. The initiative is about protecting people from the negative social, mental and financial aspects of scams by providing them with scams prevention advice and assistance and encouraging them to report and talk about scams to break the scams cycle.
City of Wolverhampton Council is a Friend Against Scams Organisation.
Free scams prevention awareness training including current COVID-19 scams is available via friendsagainstscams.org.uk
Dementia Friendly Retail
Several City Centre Businesses have agreed to become Dementia Friendly Retailers offering quiet times and chat & natter tables. Their contact details are provided below.
- Teddy’s@Sapphireblue, 35 Queen Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1TL, 01902 772078/ 01902 428822 Unisex Hairdressers & Barbers. Offers quiet times for those living with dementia on Tuesdays & Wednesdays. Carers are welcome to attend. Ask for Amy or Phil.
- Markie’s Barber Shop, 66 Victoria Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 3PN, 07970 483986, Specialises in Afro-Caribbean Hair. Offers quite times for those living with dementia on Tuesdays between 10am-12. Carers welcome. Ask for Mark Williams.
- BarberShop, 23 Market Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 3AG, 01902 771144 Unisex Hairdressers & Barbers. Offers a quiet time for those living with dementia on Mondays or Wednesday. Carers welcome. Ask for Sue.
Dementia Friendly Pubs & 1 Members Club
- The Chestnut Tree, Finchfield – Stephanie Smith, Manageress, Full table Service and a designated table provided. (Sizzling Pubs Chain).
- The Giffard Arms, Victoria Street, City Centre, Gary, Quiet table provided
- The Duke of York, City Centre, Bea Lane, Manageress, Back room snug provided for quiet times
- The Emerald Club, Cannock Road, Pat – Manager. Quiet table provided
Memory Café
Our in-house Memory Cafes take place in the Encore Lounge on the last Thursday & Friday of the month from 10am-12pm. They feature an hour of live, professional entertainment with music from the 40s, 50s, 60s, wartime, musicals and more. On the first Friday of the month, our Memory Café features music tailored for the Black, African and Caribbean communities, although anyone living with dementia is welcome to attend.
Both events are free to attend for those living with dementia, their loved ones & carers. Refreshments are also provided free of charge, and we host a raffle with the chance to win theatre tickets. Spaces can be booked by contacting Remy Lloyd by email at remyl@grandtheatre.co.uk or by phoning 01902 57 33 20 (weekdays between 8.30am - 4.30pm). Our Memory Cafés are made possible thanks to our sponsors FBC Manby Bowdler and supporting sponsors The Steve Bull Foundation, Paycare and Friends of the Grand.
During the summer of 2020 we filmed a series of ‘Virtual Memory Cafes’ which enabled us to continue to reach our customers living with dementia both at home and those living in care or residential homes. The videos feature professional, local performers on our Stage singing a range of songs over a series of four videos. These videos are free to access and are available to watch via YouTube at any time. Anyone wishing to access this service can contact Remy Lloyd on remyl@grandtheatre.co.uk / 01902 573 320 This project was made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England.
Access Register
The theatre operates an access register scheme that provides concessional rates or a free carer for customers living with dementia. More information can be found on our website or by calling the Box Office on 01902 42 92 12.
Dementia Friends Information Sessions
Dementia Friends Information sessions are a fun, interactive way to learn a little bit about dementia and how it affects people’s lives. Our Outreach Manager- Access & Inclusion is a Dementia Friends Champion for the Alzheimer’s Society and will happily deliver the sessions for you at a place of your choosing. The session lasts around 45-60 minutes. Please contact remyl@grandtheatre.co.uk for more information.
Please check opening times and contact before attending. Tel: 01902 761192
St. Columba's Day Centre provides a vital care service, offering social activities, promoting independence and social inclusion to people living with mild to moderate Dementia. We want to enable members to remain in their own homes, alleviate loneliness and isolation. We play musical bingo, reminiscence sessions, quizzes, art and craft and games such as indoor bowls and skittles. We are open 9am - 3pm at the moment, members can have tea and toast on arrival, a two-course hot lunch and tea and biscuits in the afternoon. This gives their carers some much needed respite, knowing they are in safe hands for the day. We are following all Covid 19 guidelines, including social distancing, sneeze screens, hand hygiene and all staff wear masks, so we cannot do certain activities, but we can still find plenty of things to keep you occupied. Please view our website for more information or give me a call on 01902 761192
Book a dementia friends information session for your pupils Many of your pupils will have family and friends living with dementia whose health and wellbeing has been compromised by the lockdown
Dementia Friends information sessions differentiated according to age and ability available via video conferencing. Especially suitable for Junior school pupils and Health and Social Care students.
Also, extension activity: developing a model for children to support family and friends affected by dementia.
For more information contact Karen Perry 07968875241.
Who is it for?
- Do you feel isolated & want support to meet other people?
- Do you feel low or a bit anxious and might feel better joining a social group?
- Do you have a long term chronic health condition which would be helped through community activities?
- Do you need help to find practical support or advice with practical issues such as money, health or wellbeing?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes then the Social Prescribing service might be able to help.
What is Social Prescribing?
It is a non-medical approach to improving your health and wellbeing. It can help you to have more control over your own health and find ways to improve how you feel in a way that suits you.
How does it work?
Social prescribing is not designed to replace medical support but getting involved with local groups & activities can help you get better and feel better faster than medicine alone.
Your Link Worker will listen to you and put you in touch with people and activities that might help you to feel better. They might introduce you to a community group, a new activity or a local club. Or they might help you find information or access advice about a particular issue.
We link people into things like:
Friendship groups, walking groups, arts & crafts, access to advice about debt, training & volunteering or information about managing your health
How do I get involved?
You need to ask your GP or another worker who knows you to refer to the service. We will contact you within a few days and talk about how we might be able to help in a way that works for you.
Want to know more?
Get in touch either by
- Phone: 01902 328987
- Email: spinfo@wolverhamptonvsc.org.uk
Helping you to stay safe and independent in your own home.
Telecare is a service designed to help you to live safely and independently in your home. Should an accident or other emergency occur, Telecare provides you with the ability to call for help 24 hours a day, enabling you to carry on living your life safe in the knowledge that if a situation arises, you can get help quickly.
How does it work?
The lightweight, discreet pendant will work anywhere in the average house or garden. It can be worn around the neck or on the wrist and is easy and comfortable to wear. When you need help, you simply press the alarm button on the pendant or on the alarm unit, and you will be connected to one of our friendly Telecare advisors in our monitoring and response centre. They can call your nominated contacts telling them that you need help and can stay on the line to reassure you until assistance arrives.
If you do not have family or friends able to help you in an emergency, we have fully trained mobile responders who are available 24 hours a day should you need them. Though the mobile responders are not an emergency service, they undertake to get to you as quickly as possible. If you are not hurt but need assistance getting up, they will help you.
We also have a range of assistive technologies to provide support if you would have difficulty using the alarm and pendant, for example, due to a long-term health condition or problems with your memory. These technologies can provide automatic alerts to situations such as falls, fire, seizures, reminding you to take medication or that a door is open, and we can tailor the equipment to fit your individual needs.
Do I have to pay?
The Telecare Service is provided free of charge to people in receipt of certain benefits. If the Council has arranged for you to receive care and support, Telecare will be included in the contribution you are asked to pay for your care. If these circumstances do not apply to you, you are still able to benefit from the service. Telecare packages range from £3 to £9 per week.
You can make a referral to the Telecare Service for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
For more information contact the Telecare team on 01902 553585 or email telecare@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
Educare Foundation (Wolverhampton) cares for every member of the Wolverhampton community, no matter what their background or situation may be.
Our Precious Memories Dementia Cafe involves a passionate group of board members and volunteers coming together and providing a charitable service for those who need it most. Lend a helping hand and join our efforts today
The Precious memories dementia café is for people with early to mid-stage dementia and their families/carers to attend together.
There are activities, memorabilia, puzzles, wordsearches, singing and dominoes. Refreshments are offered during the café.
Suitable for members of the African-Caribbean community, though everyone is welcome.
When: Last Friday in every month from 11.30 – 11.30.
Where: Saint John’s Methodist Church 558 Wolverhampton Road East Methodist Parkfield WV4 6AA
For more information: Email educare_foundation@yahoo.co.uk or visit educarefoundationwolverhampton.com
Molineux Memories
Molineux Memories is a group that is delivered in partnership with the Black Country NHS team from Brooklands Health Centre for individuals with dementia.
The group meet weekly on Thursday afternoons at Molineux Stadium with sessions covering topics such as the Molineux memories box filled with Wolves memorabilia, open discussions, themed discussions, football victories and achievements. In addition to this, the group also have stadium and museum tours around Molineux with lots of tea, coffee and cake too!
The group enables those identified to meet people with similar interests in an enjoyable, social group atmosphere. For more information, please contact Megan Walters on meganwalters@wolves.co.uk / 07483 445 926.
Match day experiences
Supporters with a diagnosis of dementia can come to a game with a personal assistant to see what it’s like with crowd noise and a busy environment. The supporter can also learn about the club, visit the museum and see a game (subject to availability). For more information and to create a supporter account contact fanservices@wolves.co.uk who will be able to guide supporters to get tickets and memberships.
Match day support
Match day support is available for current ticket holders, the season ticket holder who is living with dementia, carers or family are encouraged to contact fanservices@wolves.co.uk to ensure a free dementia care pack can be arranged, this includes a wristband with seat numbers on, this will ensure stewards can find the seat and support the supporter. A personalised map to their seat (in bullet/map form). There are booklets including the history of the club, and a guide for personal assistants, there is also a menu for the kiosk so refreshment choices can be made before queuing. The packs can be moulded for individual supporters.
The Wolverhampton DAA want to work together to raise the profile of dementia in our city. Our key aims are to:
- Support organisations of all sizes to become dementia friendly and improve outcomes for people living with dementia and their carers in Wolverhampton.
- We want to support existing local dementia services and encourage new initiatives to be formed.
- By working in partnership with all our members we hope to improve the lives of people affected by dementia and remove the stigma within our community.
- The Wolverhampton DAA meets bi-monthly.
Please contact your DAA co-ordinator to find further details: j.crockett@blueyonder.co.uk or louise.chambers3@wolverhampton.gov.uk
For further information visit Wolverhampton Information Network.
- Age Uk – 01902 572060
- Alzheimer’s Society – 0333 150 3456
- Citizen’s Advice Bureau – 0344 422 1444 (non—urgent calls) text 07525 844112 for urgent CRISIS and they call you back
- City of Wolverhampton Council – 01902 551155
- Compton Care – 0300 325 0250
- Dementia Uk – 0800 888 6678
- FBC Manby Bowdler Solicitors – 01902 578000
- Healthwatch – 0800 470 1944
- Memory Matters – 01902 553445
- NHS England including GP’s, Pharmacists, Dentists, Opticians – 0300 3112 233
- Ring and Ride – 0330 053 8137
- The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust – 01902 307999
- Trading Standards – 0845 330 3313
- West Midlands Fire Service – 999 and ask for Fire service
- West Midlands Police – 999 for emergency calls 101 for non-emergency calls
- West Midlands Ambulance Service – 01902 886488 / 01384 215555
- Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group – 01902 444878