Dementia is a syndrome with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. There are many different causes of dementia, and many different types.
Care for people living with dementia (PLWD) remains a national priority with figures published by the Alzheimer’s Society and NHS England (2015) indicating that around 850,000 people in the United Kingdom (UK) have dementia which equates to 1 in 14 people over the age of 65.
At Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTHTR) we are committed to enabling people to live well with a dementia, we do this by continually striving to improve the quality of care that we provide to people using our services
Fast track information for patients with dementia and their carers
If a patient has a diagnosis of dementia please contact PALS the day before the clinic appointment on 01772 522972 or email PALS@lthtr.nhs.uk
The patient can be fast tracked through clinic on the day, and additional support made available from our clinic Dementia Champions.
Fast tracking through clinic is also available for the Carers of patients living with dementia so please also contact PALS to arrange this. (This Guidance is printed on the reverse of outpatient appointment letters).
Dementia Resources
At the trust we have a number of initiatives to support patients with Dementia. Our Dementia champions play a vital role in delivering the best person-centred care for all our patients living with dementia.
Resources available such as twiddle muffs, twiddle blankets and activity packs are widely available across the trust.
Forget Me Not
The Forget Me Not document is a hand held document which kept with the person living with dementia whilst they are in our hospitals. This can be completed with the person living with dementia, if able, with their families, carers and other people who know them well.
This is so that staff have information about the person to ensure their approaches are helpful for the person living with dementia. This can improve the person’s experience of being in hospital and puts them at the centre of their care. It is important that we know the person we are caring for and what is important to them.
The document is kept with the person living with dementia whilst they are in hospital if they are an inpatient but also can be used for outpatient appointments. It lets us know about who they are as a person, their likes and dislikes, strengths and difficulties, who is important to them and how they like to communicate, for example.
The document is scanned onto our hospital system and can be printed if the person does not have the document with them at subsequent attendances.
The Forget Me Not document is used by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals however any document with this information can be used, for example the hospital passport, the Alzheimer’s Society ‘This is me’ document or similar.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Dementia Strategy
The Dementia Strategy was created in 2021 to outline the commitments Lancashire Teaching Hospital has made to improve care for people living with dementia in our hospitals.
The strategy makes 7 key priorities:
- Early identification of patient with cognitive impairment and clear pathways to access diagnosis, interventions and post diagnostic support.
- Involve carers and implement the carers’ strategy
- Improved quality of care for people with dementia in general hospitals
- Improved palliative and end of life care for people with dementia
- An informed and effective workforce for people with dementia
- Patients will be informed about research opportunities within LTHTR
- The Trust will promote dementia friendly environments.
Useful services in the community
The following services are helpful to contact for information and support in the local area.
Age UK Lancashire
Age UK Lancashire Dementia Services support people and families living with dementia to maintain independence, build confidence and improve wellbeing.
What we offer:
- Short-term support which involves completing a holistic assessment with a view to providing person centred solutions and opportunities for the individual concerned. Including;
- Understanding how dementia has affected the individual/their families/care partners to help with next steps
- Signposting and referrals to services appropriate to the individuals needs.
- Introduce the person and their care partner to dementia friendly activities in the community.
- Discuss opportunities for participation in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy.
- Group Cognitive Stimulation Therapy sessions aimed to maintain/improve cognitive function via delivery of a planned program of activities that help stimulate thinking, memory and connection to others, including creative, musical, physical activities, topical discussions and word/number games (CST is the only non-clinical intervention recommended by the UK Government National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on the management of dementia, irrespective of drug treatments received).
Our Dementia services can be accessed through self-referral, health professionals or other organisations.
Telephone: 0300 303 1234
E-mail: advice@ageuklancs.org.uk
Website: ageuklancs.org.uk
Regenerage
Dementia Community links
This person centred service promotes and enables good health, well being and quality of life for residents of Preston and South Ribble, with dementia or targeted memory concerns. If you are under 65 with a dementia diagnosis, or older with or without a formal diagnosis, or you are a carer in these circumstances, then this service is for you.
This free, NHS commissioned, service is especially helpful if you are in transition following an initial diagnosis when the focus will be on the maintenance or re-development of skills.
The focus is on individual enablement, skills maintenance and support through a period of change, with the objective of supporting you to access mainstream interest groups and ultimately confidently and independently step out of service. You can expect the following:
- Practical support to maintain or re-develop daily living skills
- Support to undertake social pursuits
- Maintaining a community presence
- Activities – creative and educational
- Sign-posting, advice and information on complementary servicesFor Carers this services is a route to finding support and solidarity through:
- Useful advice and guidance
- Chance to meet other carers, share experiences, building lasting support networks
- Much needed respite from your caring responsibilities
Telephone number: 01772 552850
Email: hello@regenerage.org.uk
Website: regenerage.org.uk
Alzheimer's Society
Alzheimer’s Society are post diagnostic support here for anyone living with dementia or supporting someone living with dementia. We can visit people at home, in the community, or support by phone. Providing problem solving, advice, and information, we will work together with them to help things for today, and things for tomorrow.
- Talking through with people when they meet new challenges and to try and find ideas to help
- Answering questions about dementia, symptoms, planning for the future, and what’s available to (and how to access and navigate local supports and the care system)
- Practical advice and sharing ideas learned from the lived experiences of other local people
- Helping people to connect to other local services and support
Direct referrals are welcome and people can also reach out to us themselves. Our Dementia Advisers are brilliant for finding out what matters to people and finding the little and big things that make their day to day better and helping plan for the future.
There is a vast and deep resource library – information, strategies, support tools, peer support and insight via a discussion forum – on alzheimers.org.uk or direct resources link (including tools) https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets/full-list
Contact details
- Central and West Lancashire: 01772 788700 and centrallancashire@alzheimers.org.uk
- Fylde & Wyre and Morecambe Bay: 01253 696854 and northlancashire@alzheimers.org.uk
- East Lancashire: 01282 447757 and eastlancashire@alzheimers.org.uk
- National: 0333 150 3456
The Lancashire Carers Service
https://www.n-compass.org.uk/our-services/carers/the-lancashire-carers-service
What we do:
We provide information, advice and a wide range of specialist support services designed to help Carers continue in their caring role for as long as they choose and reduce the impact the caring role can have on their own health and wellbeing.
We work directly with individual Carers to discuss their concerns and needs, and design a tailored personalised support package.
Support available includes:
Carers’ Assessments and reviews
Coffee and Chat support groups in North and Central Lancashire
Regular magazines providing information on local groups, activities and courses
Support for contingency and emergency planning
A huge range of Digital resources
Access to a CHAT line manned by empathetic and helpful people 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Access to our Volunteer Befriending and Sitting in Services to help you take a break from caring and provide additional company and support
Access to other community, health and wellbeing services
Opportunities to volunteer, make friends and provide support for others
Carers’ Awareness Briefings
In addition all registered carers will be invited to join the Carers’ Community Network to share their experiences and make new friends.
Additionally, LTHTR work collaboratively with the carers’ hub to provide a regular carers forum. Please contact Colin.Bowman@lancscarers.co.uk or Alison.Cookson@lthtr.nhs.uk for further details.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Talking Therapies
Feelings of Anxiety and Depression can affect us all. NHS Talking Therapies offers one to one treatment to help you make positive changes in your life, giving you the tools you need to get back to enjoying life/daily activities / work.
The service can help anyone who might be:
Feeling depressed or low mood, experiencing panic, fear of social situations, obsessing about thoughts or stuck in repetitive routines, struggling to come to terms with Trauma, experiencing fear of specific objects or situations.
We offer guided self-help, CBT and Counselling. For more information and to self-refer please visit our website: lscft.nhs.uk/talkingtherapies
Or ring
Chorley and South Ribble: 01772 643168
Preston: 01772 773437
Talking Therapies is not an emergency service! If you are in mental health distress and need urgent help you can call our crisis line on 0800 953 0110 or Samaritans on 116 123 - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
