What is dementia?
Dementia is a term used to describe a collection of symptoms that occur when certain diseases or conditions affect the brain. The symptoms can vary depending on which condition is causing the dementia.
According to Home Instead, dementia affects more than 850,000 people in the UK and the figure is growing at an unprecedented rate. By 2051, over 2 million people will have been diagnosed with a type of dementia. These are not just statistics; they represent the millions of families with loved ones who require special care and support to live a fulfilled life with dementia.
Calderdale Dementia Hub
Calde
rdale Dementia Hub offers advice and information for people living with dementia, their carers, family and friends.
The team are based at Age UK offices at 4-6 The Woolshops and aim to ensure people within the Calderdale Community have access to a wide range of dementia information and advice. For more information, please contact them on cdh@commlinks.co.uk or 01422 399833.
If you know someone who may be experiencing dementia you can make a referral to Calderdale Dementia Hub.
They also run a group for people with dementia who are willing to share their views or experiences or want to connect with other people living with dementia. Contact lberrett@ageukck.org.uk to find out more.
The Alzheimer’s Society
The Alzheimer’s Society is there for eveyone affected by dementia and provides information, advice and support. Here are some useful links.
Useful publications and fact sheets
Make your community more dementia friendly
Benefits for people affected by dementia
West Yorkshire Police
Our Police Service has procedures in place to raise awareness of dementia, help find people who go missing due to memory loss and advice on preventing this from happening. To help protect someone with dementia from going missing, you can sign up to the Herbert Protocol.
Local dementia support groups and cafes
These groups all meet in a supportive environment and provide entertainment and/or companionship to people with dementia, their carers or family members. Details below.
Memory Lane Cafe meet fortnightly on Mondays at the Maurice Jagger Centre, Halifax from 1.30 to 4pm and on Saturdays at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Sowerby Bridge from 1.30 to 4pm.
Riverside Cafe meet fortnightly on Wednesdays at St.Bartholomew’s Church in Ripponden.
Daisy’s Cafe meet on the first Saturday in the month at Todmorden Health Centre.
The Daisy Chain cafe meet on the 2nd Wednesday in the month from 1pm to 3pm at Blackburn House in Ovenden, HX3 5SJ and at St. Columba’s Church Hall, Highroad Well Lane, HX2 0QF on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday: 1.30 to 3pm. Call 07599 524471 to find out more.
Calderdale Carer’s Wellbeing Service provides support for family carers. They hold a peer support group at Rimani House, 14-16 Hall Street, HX1 5BD on the last Tuesday of each month 1pm-2:30pm. Contact 01422 369101.
Huddersfield dementia support groups and cafes
Memory Café at Longwood Mechanics Hall, Longwood Gate, HD3 4UU
Memory café at Marsden Mechanics first Thursday of the month 10am – 12pm to book a place call 01484 844587 see ddc.org.uk/marsden for more info.
Marsden Mechanics friend to friend 2ndand 4th of the month see website for further information. http://marsdenmechanics.co.uk/
Pop-up café at The Zone, St Andrew’s Road near the John Smith’s Stadium. Mondays from 1.30pm to 3pm.
Dementia friendly holidays and breaks
https://dementiaadventure.co.uk/what-we-do/our-holidays/
https://www.limitlesstravel.org/disabled-holidays/dementia-friendly-holidays/
Professional care for people with dementia
If you are struggling to care for someone with dementia, it may be time to consider professional support.
Home Instead Calderdale is a private homecare provider with specialised dementia support services.