Charity Friends of the Elderly, together with Surrey County Council and Surrey Primary Care Trust, has been awarded one of the 18 national demonstrator site projects to pilot much-needed support networks for people with dementia and their carers.
People with dementia will have a say in the pilot, through involvement in a steering group that will have a particular emphasis on working with harder to reach groups, such as British Asians.
Based mainly at the charity’s Bradbury Resource Centre in Woking, the Friends with Dementia project will provide simple and accessible information about dementia and the services available locally, to support people with dementia and their carers.
It will also establish online social network forums to extend the capacity for 24-hour peer support and employ an outreach worker and volunteers from relevant cultural backgrounds.
Direct service users to support services for people with dementia already. available in the area, including home support, day care, dementia cafe, social events and advocacy.
Richard Furze, chief executive at the charity, said: “We are delighted our Friends with Dementia project has been selected as one of the national demonstrator sites. The project will enhance our existing services and enable us to reach out to those in the Asian British community who, due to cultural differences, are not accessing these much needed support services.”
For more information about the charity, visit fote.org.uk.
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