Dementia Coordinator Service

Dementia Coordinator Service flyer

The Dementia Coordinator with Help & Care has been running since 1^st April 2021 and within that time we have reached out to around 2,000 people with dementia and/or their carers.  They have around 20 Dementia Coordinators who cover the North, East and West of Dorset.

They help people with dementia and their carers post-Dementia diagnosis who are automatically referred to them by the Memory Assessment Service. Once the person with dementia and/or their carer is contacted, they stay on each Dementia Coordinators caseload and receive a 12 month follow up call after their initial assessment. However if they wish to contact the service in-between that time, they are more than welcome to.

During the initial assessment with the Dementia Coordinator, which takes place over the phone (they are starting to slowly introduce face to face meetings once again) the Dementia Coordinator will discuss any questions or concerns they have about their dementia along with providing help, support and signposting to some of the below:

• Cognitive Stimulation Therapy by Age UK – we have been working alongside Age UK who provide a 14-week programme around Dorset once per week to help those in the early stages of Dementia.
• Benefits – who is entitled and to what?
• Initial information on dementia
• Informing the carer to let their GP know that they are a carer for someone with dementia.
• Activities available in the area or activities that can be done at home
• Carers support groups
• Anything carer related/support – CRISP, carers card
• Information on Social Services – contact details if needed in the future.
• Transport available for the person with dementia to get to any activities/go shopping/general.
• Driving – how to support someone with dementia who still has access to their car/or how to support someone who has been told they can no longer drive
• Counselling
• Care Needs Assessments
• Information on Assistive Technology
• Care Homes and Agencies
• Blue Badge
• OT referrals
• Everyday living – what is this like? How are the living? Do they require support with gardening, housekeeping? How is their diet? And refer to the right services.

This is just some of the information they can provide. If they are unable to provide the information straight away, they will look into it and get back to the client at the earliest opportunity.