The services we currently have in Newport for people living with dementia are: -
• Dementia Connect – 2 Dementia Advisers that cover this service in Newport, this includes telephone support, side by side and on-line support.
• Integrated Dementia Support – 2 Dementia Support Workers in Newport – This is our early diagnosis team and the DSW’s provide support within a 3-month diagnosis and are based within the Memory Teams.
• Community Support – This is a chargeable service and service users are offered a free 12- week trial – Community Support Workers help people to live well in their community and continue to do the things that they love. They keep people active for longer, within their community and their own homes.
• Advocacy – We have one advocate that covers the whole of Gwent, enabling people affected by dementia to have a voice and ensure they wishes are adhered to.
• We have several activity groups in Newport, Bowl’s, Music and Memories and Dementia Café
• Younger People Services – Within Gwent we have 1 Dementia Support Worker that specialises in providing support for the under 65’s.
• CrISP – Carers information sessions for carers of people with dementia.
• Focus on Dementia - User involvement sessions that take place at Fourteen Locks in Newport.
• Dementia Friendly Communities – Provides Dementia Friends sessions and support for organisations and companies to become dementia friendly and accessible.
COVID-19 Changes to services
We have established virtual groups within Gwent using Zoom, all open to Newport residents:
Music and Memories Tuesday 10.45am
Activity group Thursday 11.45am
Singing for the Brain Friday 10.45am
Virtual CrISP sessions for carers (shortened to 1.5 hours)
In the absence of face to face groups, Zoom is a perfect solution to enable our service users to enjoy social interaction and music. We have had some very positive feedback…. “Wow that was amazing - just what we needed! That is the first time that mam has been singing along with music for the last 3 weeks!! She said she really enjoyed it! We both did! It was lovely to see her smiling, laughing and singing again!!”
Our local Dementia Advisers are making Welfare Calls to our service users to provide individualised, specialist information and support. These calls are proving to be vital, particularly during these difficult times for people affected by dementia.
Our Side by Side service covering Gwent is still operational and working hard to pair our Side by Side volunteers with service users from the Community support waiting list. Volunteers are providing the service over the phone whilst visits aren't possible.
In addition, we have set up a new Companion Call service where Companion Call volunteers make calls to our service users. These calls are an opportunity for people affected by dementia to have an informal chat with a volunteer about whatever they like. They are offered to our service users once a week, or as often as they’d like.