Dementia

Dementia affects everyone differently and can cause a wide range of symptoms. These can include problems with memory, thinking, concentration and language. People may become confused or struggle with how they perceive things.

Dementia can also cause changes in mood or emotions and affect how someone behaves. Your GP is usually the first point of contact if you are experiencing memory problems. The GP may make a referral to the memory assessment service to help with formal diagnosis.

Following a formal diagnosis of dementia, your GP may refer you to a specialist, like a consultant in old age psychiatry, a community nurse or an Occupational Therapist (OT) with a special interest in dementia care.

As it can be best for a person with dementia to remain living in their own home for as long as possible, a range of community care services is available to facilitate this. Dementia support services, funded by us, can help newly diagnosed people and their carer to understand their condition and find support locally. When needed, help can be provided to access home care, meals in the home, sitting services (which provide a break for carers), advice on equipment and adaptations, day care centres and respite care.

Our dementia support services are provided by Dementia Forward across North Yorkshire. For further information, visit: www.dementiaforward.org.uk

These services can be provided directly by registered providers to those people who are not eligible for financial help from us. You may have a choice of which agency you receive your care from whether or not we assist with funding your service.

If you are considering moving to a new house, but do not need to move to a care home, extra care housing schemes can cater for people living with dementia, with Limestone View in Settle offering specialist support to people with dementia. For more details regarding extra care housing, go to page 61.

People with dementia can benefit from a range of group or individual therapies involving social interaction and mental stimulation, including reminiscence. The dementia support services can help you find local activities. Activity co-ordinators and OTs can provide people with dementia with different therapies or types of support. Approaches that promote understanding of the behaviour of the person with dementia can also be beneficial and trained staff can offer this service within many care establishments.