Living well with dementia
“The groups provide a place for Mum to go and be part of society and the team helped me understand more about dementia.”
We are dedicated to ensuring that as much as possible, people who are living with dementia are supported to live well. This often takes understanding and that’s where we come in, by providing information to help you to access the right support, and advice on how to manage situations that you are experiencing or may experience in the future. So, whether you or a loved one is affected by dementia or you are concerned about yourself or someone else, you’ve come to the right place.
What is dementia?
Dementia is a word that is used to describe a range of progressive diseases that affect the brain. Some experts believe there are more than 100 different types of dementia but by far, the most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease, followed by Vascular Dementia and Lewy Body Dementia.
Each type of dementia has its own common characteristics, areas of difficulty and progression but regardless of the type, each person who is living with dementia will experience it in their own way.
We know that living with dementia can be challenging, which is why we offer specialist dementia advice and support for you and your family, before and after a diagnosis. Find out more by contacting us on 0300 37 33 333.
Visit the Alzheimer’s Society website to find useful guides and information about dementia.
Dementia support groups
Several studies have shown that regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by about 30 per cent and engaging in mental or social activities may help to build up your brain’s ability to cope with disease, relieve stress and improve your mood. We host our own Dementia Friendly groups and hold information on a wide variety of other groups in North East Essex. We can help you to find suitable dementia friendly groups and activities.
Dementia volunteer friendships
It’s normal to feel lonely sometimes. However, if you don’t have people around you, or find it hard to stay in touch, you may start to feel lonely more often. Loneliness can make you feel less like doing things, which can make you feel even more isolated. We can match you with a volunteer friend (befriender) who knows and understands dementia.
Befriending
Our Befriending service offers a matched friendship between a client and a trained unpaid volunteer. We help to facilitate one to one, telephone sessions, and trips out.
Community groups
We run a range of inclusive friendship groups, face-to-face and online. Connect with like-minded people across Essex and have fun!
Stories
People are at the heart of what we do, read some of their stories here.
We can make a real difference to you or someone you know.
We are here for people in later years. We empower you to age well.