Dementia

Getting a diagnosis

If you're worried about your memory, the first step is to talk to your GP (doctor). They will check whether anything else could be causing your symptoms.

The Alzheimer’s Society has information on Dementia symptoms and diagnosis.

Living well

• Alzheimer's Society has advice on staying healthy with dementia and exercise and physical activity.
• Alzheimer's Society also have a free Dementia guide: Living well after your diagnosis as well as a booklet for carers Caring for a person with dementia: A practical guide.  Both these publications can be downloaded from the Alzheimer’s Society website, or you can order a free copy by post.
• UK Care Guide includes a range of information on mid and later life planning.
• Age UK has a factsheet on living with early-stage dementia (PDF, 509KB).

Keeping safe and living at home

Equipment, home adaptations and assistive technology can help people with dementia remain living independently and safely in their own homes for longer:

• Alzheimer's Society has advice on keeping safe at home, using technology to help with everyday life and using equipment and making adaptations at home
• Suffolk County Council has information on equipment, home adaptations and assistive technology
• Age UK has a factsheet on making your home dementia-friendly (PDF, 714KB)
• Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has an article on using technology to help people with dementia.

Staying safe when out and about

It's good for people with dementia to remain active, keep doing hobbies and socialising with friends:

• Suffolk County Council has information on getting out and about and staying independent with sensory and physical disabilities
• Alzheimer's Society has advice on driving and dementia and travelling and going on holiday.

People with dementia can carry cards to help make other people aware of their condition:

• Helpcards: for people with dementia to carry to get assistance when they're out in the community

Legal matters

• Alzheimer's Society has information on advance decisions (living wills), end of life care and lasting power of attorney.
• Suffolk County Council has information on preparing for end of life care.
• Age UK has a factsheet about arranging for someone to make decisions on your behalf (PDF, 547KB).

The government gives more information about what a lasting power of attorney does:

• Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney
• Make decisions on behalf of someone
• What to expect from health and care services

Financial considerations

• Alzheimer's Society has information on benefits, council tax, paying for care and support and personal budgets.
• Suffolk County Council has information on paying for care.
• Age UK has a factsheet about paying for permanent residential care (PDF, 515KB).

Care homes

• Alzheimer's Society has information on when the right time is to go into a care home and who decides.
• Suffolk County Council have a page on care homes and supported accommodation.

Hospital care

Going into hospital can be disorientating for a person with dementia. It's good to have a family member or friend with someone with dementia to communicate with hospital staff:

• Suffolk County Council have a page on returning home from hospital.
• Alzheimer's Society has information on going into hospital.

If you look after someone with dementia, you are probably a carer. Caring for someone with dementia can take an emotional toll, and it is important to look after yourself.  For further information and advice:

• Alzheimer’s Society has information for carers on looking after yourself
• Suffolk County Council has information on caring for someone which will help you find out what support you can get as a carer including health and wellbeing support for carers
• There is local support on the Suffolk Family Carers website
• Age UK has help for carers looking after a loved one and a factsheet on caring for someone with dementia (PDF, 993KB).

Help supporting someone with dementia

It can be helpful to understand some of the challenges and difficulties faced by people with dementia, to help support them. This can include finding out how best to communicate, psychological and emotional impacts, and also being aware of some of the behavioural changes that people with dementia can experience.

• Alzheimer's Society has information on understanding and supporting a person with dementia including changes in behaviour, aggression in people with dementia.

Carer's assessments

As a carer, you are entitled to a carer’s assessment. Further information also can be found on:

• Suffolk Family Carers’ Adult Carers webpages.

Breaks and respite

You can arrange for someone else to help with carer responsibilities. For further information please see:

• Suffolk County Council pages on breaks for carers
• Suffolk Family Carers information on how to take a break from your caring role including Replacement Care.

Planning for Emergencies

You can plan for emergencies with a Family Carer Emergency Plan which sets out in advance what will happen to the person you care for in the case of an emergency.

If you are also worried that the person you care for is at risk of getting lost, it is helpful to think ahead and complete a “Herbert Protocol” form in advance, which can save valuable time in finding the person should they disappear.

The form can be handed to the police to reduce the time taken in gathering this information and inform the investigation to locate them more quickly, safeguard them more effectively, and return them to safety before any harm can come to them.

If you are a family carer, relative or a care provider we recommend you look at the relevant information on the webpages below, which includes links to the Herbert Protocol form.  This should be downloaded, completed, and kept safely, in case the person you care for goes missing.

• Dementia - Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership
• Suffolk Constabulary - Advice for carers or people with dementia at risk of going missing
• Suffolk Constabulary - Vulnerable people at risk of going missing