Covid proves dementia care activity invaluable

CHARITY Covid proves dementia care activity invaluable

Kelly Bleasdale, Senior Manager for EDC, comments: “At Essex Dementia Care, our focus is on enabling those with dementia, as well as their families, to live life to its fullest for as long as possible. This is why we tailor our oneto-one support to the individual, making sure activities focus on their interests so that they are more enjoyable and more stimulating. Our activity centres run group activities covering a range of interests and providing mental stimulus with an opportunity to socialise”. We do all that we can “At Essex Dementia Care, we also understand that it can be hard on the families of those experiencing dementia too. So, we do all that we can to support them as well, by providing advice and a listening ear, as well as time away from their caring role. During the fi rst COVID lockdown, we wanted to do as much as

Local charity, Essex Dementia Care (EDC) has recently carried out a survey to fi nd out what impact their services have on the wellbeing of their clients, particularly in light of COVID-related restrictions.

The results, they report, showed that a large number of those involved with EDC activities had a considerable deterioration in mental health when the support was stopped during lockdown. With Every Day Counts Groups

services restarted, albeit with some limitations, respondents to the survey confi rmed that their loved Our Every Day Counts groups support ones living with dementia were noticeably happier and, in some cases, improved mentally.people in the earlier stages of dementia, helping them to retain existing skills and to stay active in the community. Group members might cook their own lunch or spend time out and about exploring we could to continue being there for For further press places of interest. The main thing is they will be having fun! these families, so we provided a phone information, images Groups take place as follows: line support, which we were told was and expert comment, or to arrange an interview Bradwell, Braintree: 11am-4pm on Wednesdays invaluable. However, we were also made with the EDC team, and Thursdays aware that the absence of EDC activity Kelly Bleasdale on Broomfield, Chelmsford: 11am-4pm on Fridays and social engagement took its toll on 01245 363789 or Sandon, Chelmsford: a number of those that would usually benefi t from our services. We have kelly@essexdementiacare. org.uk 11am-4pm on Wednesdays received feedback stating that some individuals’ mental health deteriorated considerably during lockdown but that they improved greatly after services resumed, thankfully. In one case, communication skills even improved with the return of EDC services and, in another, conditions at home eased too”. We are happy to announce Essex Dementia Care is back to running a full service and our clients are very happy to be back with us. For further information on the work that EDC does, please visit https://www.essexdementiacare.org.uk.

To fi nd out how you can support EDC, or to talk to EDC regarding using their services, please call Kelly Bleasdale on 01245 363789.

Are you making the most of your money?

Making your money work harder could help you reach your goals more quickly and boost your long-term fi nancial security. A fi nancial adviser will be able to help, but whether you want to grow your wealth, save for retirement or ensure your loved ones are provided for, the place to start is to ask yourself the right questions.

1What do you want your money to do for you? The answer will partly depend on your life stage, and priorities. What are the financial milestones you want to hit? Do you have a secure plan in place for your retirement or is, say, saving for your children’s future your priority? Whatever your goals, are you making the most of the money that you have accumulated, or could it be working harder?

2Are your savings growing? Any cash savings could be languishing in accounts paying dismal interest rates, now the Bank of England has cut the base rate to historic lows. Although the stock market goes down as well as up, history shows that it tends to perform more strongly than cash over the long term. Investing could therefore give at least some of your money the opportunity to grow faster. If you want expert advice, a wealth manager can help, as they make the decisions on what to buy and sell on your behalf.

3When do you want to retire? This question will be at the core of any long-term fi nancial strategy. Working backwards will allow you to crossreference your desired lifestyle with the funds you need to sustain it and the time needed to accumulate them. Retirement planning can be a complicated process, but advice can deliver the key benefi t of clarity.

4Are you separating your long and short-term priorities? Defi ning your goals is one thing – but considering how much time you need is just as important. You will most likely have diff erent priorities over your lifetime which may require separate fi nancial strategies. Our fi nancial planners can help you prioritise your goals and put timely plans in place to achieve them.

5Do you have debts to tackle? The interest rates on credit cards, overdrafts and personal loans are usually higher than the interest rates on cash and the average return on investments. By paying off expensive debts, you’ll be in a better overall position in the long term.

6Are you using all your tax allowances? No-one knows what tax changes may lie ahead. Maximising your tax allowances now could give your fi nances a boost. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to benefi t from tax effi ciency today and profi t over the long term. Our fi nancial planners can help you keep abreast of changes in the tax landscape and make decisions that optimise the allowances that do exist, such as pensions and ISAs.

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The value of investments can fall and you may get back less than you invested. Neither simulated nor actual past performance are reliable indicators of future performance. Performance is quoted before charges which will reduce illustrated performance. Information is provided only as an example and is not a recommendation to pursue a particular strategy. Information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views held throughout Brewin Dolphin Ltd.

We are here to help you achieve your ambitions through expert, personalised fi nancial planning. 020 3201 3900  www.brewin.co.uk