IT IS predicted that, in 2025, 2,975 people in North East Lincolnshire will be living with dementia. Health reporter Katie Blackburn spoke to organisations trying to help...
SOCIALISING is a key aspect in providing dementia sufferers with a positive mind – and five memory cafes are currently doing just that.
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| HAPPY TO HELP: North East Lincolnshire dementia support workers, from left, Emily Cross, Sarah Martin and Lynn Guyver, from the Alzheimer's Society. |
Staff from the Alzheimer's Society in North and North East Lincolnshire run the cafes in Grimsby, Immingham and Cleethorpes on a regular basis.
They aim to bring sufferers together along with their carers in an environment which engages them in activities while they can obtain advice and support.
There has never been any research to suggest a cure for dementia patients and young people can be affected with the condition as well.
A fortnightly memory cafe runs solely for young people at Grimsby's Central Hall in Duncombe Street.
Emily Cross, the society's dementia support manager for North East Lincolnshire, said: "Mixing with people living with similar conditions can really help dementia patients to realise they are not alone.
"These memory cafes began in October last year after a pilot scheme proved to be a success.
"Already we can see friendships forming between the service users and many sufferers eagerly wait for the next cafe to be on. There are five cafes in total which run across the borough on either a weekly or fortnightly basis.
"We encourage anyone with dementia to come along and get involved."
As well as the memory cafes, the society has a dementia advice service, staffed by two full-time employees. It helps people with dementia and their families, directing them to relevant services as necessary.
Emily said: "Funding we receive locally goes towards providing both these services.
"Our dementia adviser service is mainly telephone operated, providing people with names and contacts to find the right posts they need.
"We believe these cafes do help dementia patients as it can provide them with a positive state of mind when interacting with others."
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| OPEN: Chief executive of Navigo, Kevin Bond, cuts the ribbon to officially open the Konar Suite, an older people's mental health acute assessment unit which has been refurbished, with other staff from left, Julie Hasler, Nicola Pougher, Chris Pearson-Denile, Linda Hamilton, Monica Knight, Diane Roberts, Gillian Pottage, Anne Shanks and acute services manager Val Moore, at The Gardens, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby. Picture: Michelle Adamson. |
Today, a mental health unit for older people will reopen after being refurbished to create a longer lasting service.
Staff at the Navigo Health and Social Care Community Interest Company are delighted to be officially reopening the Konar Suite based at The Gardens, at Grimsby's Diana, Princes of Wales Hospital.
It offers ten acute assessment beds, all with en-suite facilities for older people with both functional (depression) and organic (dementia) mental health problems. Patients are referred to the facilities by medical professionals.
The redesign has brought the previous Konar and Haven suites under one roof.
The name Konar remained for the unit in memory of Dr Sugata Konar, who worked as both consultant psychiatrist and medical director in North East Lincolnshire.
Val Moore, acute service manager for Navigo, who manages the Konar Suite, said: "We have seen a shift in the needs of people using our service since The Gardens was first opened in 2006.
"The new design of the unit is much better suited to the changing nature of the types of mental health problems we now see.
"Staff have worked very hard to get the suite ready and I am grateful to them all."
The project was completed by Navigo's own property services, Tukes, which provides employment opportunities and training for people with mental health problems.
Kevin Bond, chief executive of Navigo, added: "We are pleased to be able to reopen the newly refurbished Konar Suite as part of our ongoing commitment to provide the best possible facilities to local people.
"It is made all the more pleasing as the works were supervised and mostly performed by Tukes, our own training and employment scheme, for people with mental health problems.
"The unit is now once again in top condition and will serve older people well into the future."
And Mike Reeve, head of adult mental health services for Navigo, said: "Navigo is committed to providing the highest quality services for older people with mental health problems.
"The redesign of the Konar suite reflects our dedication to designing services with our service users' needs at the heart of what we offer.
"It is part of expanding older people's services, providing award-winning services to the people of North East Lincolnshire."
Find out more
For more information, call the Alzheimer's Society locally on 01652 680474.
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