Dementia Carers Service

Dementia is used to describe different brain disorders, all of which share a loss of brain function that is usually progressive and eventually severe. There are a 100 or so types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, caused by the destruction of nerve cells in the brain.

Symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, confusion and problems with speech and understanding. As a carer, it’s really important to treat the person with dementia with kindness and respect and never forget that in spite of their illness, the person with dementia is still a unique and valuable human being. Some of the links below have useful specialist information on how you can cope with caring for someone with dementia and emotional issues, such as feelings of guilt you may experience over the course of the caring process.

When you’re caring for someone with dementia, it can be all too easy to ignore your needs, but you shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that your well-being matters too – and the more you take care of yourself, the better equipped you will be to provide high quality care for your loved one.

Cornwall Carers Service can provide the carer with specialist support, including a support worker who will visit you at home, the service can be accessed through our helpline;

01872 266383 Open Mon – Fri 8:00am to 6:00pm. An out of hours answer phone is available

Sources of Information

The Alzheimer’s Society has a range of information for carers of people with dementia in its online library, the Dementia Knowledge Centre.

Talking Point is an online community for people with dementia and their carers, family and friends to discuss all aspects of the condition. Talking Point is hosted by the Alzheimer’s Society, and supported by a group of volunteer moderators.