 September is World Alzheimer's Month and the theme this year highlights the importance of support for people with dementia and their families following a dementia diagnosis.
Our Community Mental Health Team for Older Adults is here to support you. This could be through the Dementia Advisory Service, Bracknell Memory Clinic, Social Work Team, Community Psychiatric Team and much more. If you have a diagnosis of dementia or support a person with dementia and need any support or advice please do contact us on 01344 823220
recent comments from people who have been supported by the team include:
'all the team are so friendly and willing to help in any way they can'
'you far exceeded our expectations with your professional and caring attitude'
'the support services available are amazing and I feel I could call the Dementia Advisers with any query and they would be very happy to help'
Also as part of World Alzheimer's Month we will be out and about promoting the support available. Please do look out for literature in your GP surgery or local library.
For further information and advice on dementia please visit Bracknell Forest Council webpage on dementia or the Alzheimer's Society.
Young Dementia Network host a monthly series of FREE young onset dementia webinars. They bring together Young Dementia Network members, people living with young onset dementia, family members, professionals working in the field and people interested in young onset dementia to create an opportunity to connect, support and inform each other.
Previous webinars are also available to view. Topics include: employment, living well, technology and much more. Last year in a webinar our local charity YPWD (Younger People with Dementia) explored the positive impact of regular activity, be it physical or cognitive. Family member Pat said, “Activities improve Steve’s mood, he is on a high, whereas without them there is a drop. The stimulation affects his mood.”
Young-onset dementia refers to dementia that is diagnosed in people under the age of 65. It is estimated that there are more than 42,000 people living with young-onset dementia in the UK. It is also known as early-onset and working-age dementia. In Bracknell Forest, there are a number of services that specifically support people with young-onset dementia and their family and friends. For further information, please contact our Young Onset Dementia Adviser, Karen White on 01344 823220
 Bracknell Leisure Centre are offering a relaxed over 50's swimming session every Tuesday 14:30-15:30.
This session takes place in the training pool which is a little warmer and less deep than the main pool. The session aims to provide an opportunity for gentle swimming and exercise, rather than lane swimming.
Swimming has been shown to have the following positive impacts on people living with dementia and their carers:
- It can offer a sense of mental wellbeing, something which cannot be easily measured but is mentioned by thousands of participants.
- It helps clear the mind, encourages positivity in individuals and builds a sense of self-worth.
- Swimming can soothe the mind and reduce anxiety
- It can relax the body by supporting it in a relatively weightless environment
- It can offer opportunities to socialise.
- It can reduce loneliness and contribute to creating a sense of place.
The sessions are pay-as-you-go (£4.05) and can be booked online or via reception. Those interested will just need to register for a free Everyone Active card to attend. To sign up online please visit Bracknell Leisure Centre website.
For further information or any questions please contact:
Carly Pearson- Active Communities Manager- carlypearson@everyoneactive.com or phone 01344 454203.
 Specially-designed screenings for people living with dementia, their carers and anyone preferring to experience cinema in calm surroundings. With lights left on low and sound level reduced.
Date: second Monday of each month.
Time: Doors open 1.30pm for a 2pm start, with a short interval. Complimentary refreshments will be provided after each screening.
Location: South Hill Park, Bracknell, RG12 7PA
Please see below the list of films being shown until the end of the year:
12, September - The Band Wagon
10, October - Carry on Cruising
14 November - Dad's Army
12, December - The Muppet Christmas Carol
Staff and volunteers are all Dementia Friends and will be on hand for any support throughout the screening.
To book tickets please visit South Hill Park box office or call 01344 484123.
When booking please advise if wheelchair access is required. Note that these screenings are socially distanced.
For more dementia friendly groups and activities please visit Bracknell Forest website for dementia support
 Many individuals have found that digital assistance devices can improve quality of life for people with Dementia as well other people who may have limited mobility and other health conditions.
A digital assistant such as - Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on smart speakers and Siri on iPads and iPhones are like intelligent companions. They are basically hands-free and are controlled with your voice. These devices work using ‘artificial intelligence’ which means that over time they become more useful as they ‘learn’ to recognise your voice and the best way to help you. They can be useful for lots of different purposes. For example, they can set reminders for appointments, medication and to help keep you hydrated. They can also play music, provide information like date, time, news, weather, tells fun jokes, help you to manage a “to do” list and much more. They can help people with dementia to keep more control over their environment and more independence. Even though it doesn’t replace human touch or real conversation, the intelligent voice controls may be really helpful.
It is important that the choice of device, and what it will do, fits with the person’s preferred lifestyle and current technology know how and use. It helps to start by thinking about the person and the problem that you are trying to solve.
You can buy many devices through shops or online suppliers. The Alzheimer’s Society provides further advice on using technology to help with everyday life and you may also be interested in the range of telecare solutions offered by Forestcare .
 Dementia Carers Count provide courses designed and delivered by health and care professionals, that will help you develop skills and build confidence to navigate the highs and lows of caring for someone with dementia. Learning how to make your life manageable and maintain your own health and well-being is vital and they’ll give you practical tips that you can use every day.
There are a number of courses available throughout September, examples of topics discussed:
- The hidden challenges of dementia
- Keeping the communication going
- Delirium
- Taking are of yourself
- Carers rights and benefits
All of the sessions are free to family carers and can be booked via Carers Count virtual carers centre
If you need any help accessing these online courses please consider contacting The Ark digital inclusion project who can support with free access to the internet, IT support and training.
For more virtual events please visit Bracknell Forest website for dementia support
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