Living with Dementia
In Thanet and East Kent
Alzheimer’s Society – National charity providing advice and support to people with all forms of dementia and their carers.
Local branch – 01227 730000
Denis Bently Carer's Grant - Administered by the local branch. If you are a carer looking after someone with dementia/Alzheimer's, the Dennis Bently Carer's Grant fund may be able to help you with a grant of up to £300.
Anything, such as a new washing machine ,bedding or a wheel chair, will be considered, as long as it will benefit the person being cared for. For an application form or further advice, please contact the local branch phone number.
Thanet Support Group meets on first Wednesday of each month (except August) from 1530 till 1630 at the Sarre Day centre, Q.E.Q.M.
The local branch newsletter can be downloaded here. To view the newsletter you need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, which can be downloaded here
Relatives & Memory Support Group - Meets monthly, normally second Tuesday of the month. It is organised by Fran and Julia, occupational therapists at Sarre Day Unit, Q.E.Q.M. Hospital, in conjunction with the local branch of the Alzheimer's Society.
It is in the form of a coffee morning where carers, relatives, and anyone with dementia are all welcome. As well as Fran and Julia there are often other health professionals in attendance, who are happy to chat and take questions.
Dates, times and the location of the meeting can be found in the calendar of events page.
Anyone with difficulties with transport should phone 01843 234409.
Forget-Me-Not Cafe - The intention of the cafe is to provide a space for people affected by dementia to express emotions and discuss practical difficulties involved with the illness.
The cafe is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 1400-1600.
It is situated at Westbrook House,150 Canterbury Road,Westbrook,Margate, Tel 01843 254100.
Volcare - Volcare Canterbury and Thanet is a registered charity (number 1072811), fully funded by Social Services, which offers flexible home-based respite for carers in the community.
It helps carers who need to have some time to themselves, and whose relatives or friends need or want to stay in their own home while the carer has a break.
Respite can be booked for a day, a weekend, one or two weeks and for planned hospital admissions. Volcare volunteers can also work with carers on a shared care basis. Respite can be booked throughout the year for occasional periods only and Volcare cannot provide respite on a weekly basis. On average, volunteers can be booked for one or two days a month, subject to volunteer’s availability
Volcare cannot be used as an emergency service and needs time to be set up.
As they have a limited number of volunteers, they have a waiting list. It can take 2 or 3 months to be allocated a volunteer, so it is advisable to apply for Volcare as soon as possible if you think you might need their service.
Address: Beach House, Beach Street, Herne Bay, CT6 5PT
Phone: 01227 749400
Crossroads - Aims to relieve stress on carers, to enable people with disabilities to live at home. Trained care support workers take over the carer's role to give the carer a short break.
Once a support worker is allocated to a person, visits are normally on the same day and time each week for 3 to 4 hours per visit.
Waiting time to be allocated a support worker is 3 to 4 months, so early application is advisable.
Contact details
East Kent (Canterbury & Coastal, Thanet, Swale, Sheppey )
Beach House, Beach Street
Herne Bay CT6 5PT tel/fax: 01227 742030
eastkent@crossroads.org.uk
Age Concern – Providing meal services, a variety of activities, hearing aid service , bathing, chiropody or nail care, hairdressing, exercise sessions, benefits and insurance advice and at Margate a Citizens Advice clinic. Limited transport is available. Open Monday to Friday approximately 9.30am – 4.00pm
Margate Branch: 01843 223881
Broadstairs Branch: 01843 868018
Ramsgate Branch: 01843 592117
Herne Bay Branch: 01227 360494
Sandwich Branch: 01304 614237
Age Concern Carer's Lunch - For carers in Herne Bay, Whitstable, Canterbury and Faversham. Once a month lunch normally followed by a speaker at the Hazell Neville Centre, Herne Bay. Contact Julie on 01227 360220 for further details
Citizen’s Rights for Older People (CROP) - Free, confidential advisory service helping Canterbury, Dover and Thanet branch: based at Watling Chambers, 18-19 Watling Street, Canterbury. CANDID (Counselling and Diagnosis In Dementia Research Group) Provides information and support for people with dementia and their families – there is an answer machine available – leave a message if necessary Carers Contact – Carers Carers Voice – Local branch of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Provides support services for Carers. Birchington Carers Support Group meets on first Tuesday of every month at Church House, Ramsgate Carers Support Group meets on last Friday of each month at The Care Centre, Telephone – 01227 365442 Counsel and Care - Provides a free and confidential advice to older people and their carers. There are helpful fact sheets on a range of topics available. Email – advice@counselandcare.org.uk Help The Aged - Provides information and advice on a wide range of topics including benefits. NHS Direct - NHS General health information telephone 24 hour helpline 08454647 Rethink- East Thanet – 66a Coastal – Social Services 01843 860000 - Provide information about a wide range of services, including home care services, meals on wheels, day care, respite care, residential care. When making a referral for your self or a loved one ask for the Duty Care Manager. Please note financial circumstances will be taken into consideration when assessing access to services. You can request a Carers Assessment You can also ask your GP / Consultant to refer you. Patient Information and Learning service – PALS Thanet User Committee - A forum for people who use local mental health services to share their experiences and views about the service. Ideas discussed in the group are fed into a planning and monitoring processes for the services. For more information contact Nick Dent - User Involvement and Empowerment Manager on 01227 812370 For younger adults contact Maggie Gallant at FURST, 66a VITALISE – Charity providing respite breaks for disabled people and carers. Respite centres in Contact – 0845 345 1972 Mental Health Matters Helpline – Out of hour’s confidential emotional support for Service Users and Carers. Telephone – 0800 107 0160 open 1700 till Admiral Nurses - Specialist dementia nurses, working in the community, with families, carers and supporters of people with dementia. The nurses prime focus is family carers. Access to them can be by self referral. The Admiral Nurse for Canterbury and Coastal areas is Linda Carroll, who can be contacted by phone on 01227 812171. The Admiral Nurse for Thanet is Jackie Tuppen who can be contacted on 01843 854200. The Admiral Nurse for Dover and Deal is Pat Brown on 01304 216666. Admiral Nurse Clinics - Clinics are held at the locations shown below. Contact and address details can be found in the Calendar section Broadstairs - June 20th, July 15th and August 14th from 1030 till 1200 Ramsgate - June 12th, July 22nd and August 21st from 1000 till 1200 Margate - July 16th and August 29th from 0930 till 1200. Sandwich - June 19th, July 17th and August 11th from 1000 till 1200 To book a 30 minute appointment at a clinic, phone the relevant centre. Longer appointments are available if needed. Admiral Nurses Direct - Telephone information and support line for family carers, people with dementia and professionals. Tel. 0845 257 9406 The service is available on:
Phone 01227 789 777.
Tuesday
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Thursday
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
At other times, callers can leave a message and an Admiral Nurse will call back.
The service is also available by email: direct@fordementia.org.uk
Independentage - A national charity which helps older people in need by providing an extra income for life, grants for emergencies, mobility equipment, clothing and household linen, nursing and residential care and friendship through a network of volunteer visitors. Priority is given to those people who have already given something to the community which is usually by way of voluntary work they have undertaken or caring responsibilities etc. Contact details can be found on their website, or phone 020 7605 4200.
Thanet Senior Citizen's Forum - The objectives of Thanet Senior Citizens' Forum are:
- To promote the welfare and interests of older people within Thanet District
- Provide a platform where matters of concern to older people can be raised and policies developed.
- To act as an umbrella organisation in making representation to statutory sector organisations, local MPs, voluntary sector organisations, government and local and national business
- To Exchange information and advice with organisations providing services for older people within the district of Thanet, co-operating with but independent of such organisations, in furtherance of the objectives or similar purposes.
- Combat ageism and promote a positive image of older people regardless of colour, belief or gender
- Be a campaigning but democratic, non-sectarian, non party political organisation.
Contact Barry Coppock on 01843 864487 for further information.