Dear school team,
I am hoping you will be agreeable to sharing my local community project across your school network. I have written a website, https://dementiasupport.uk/, which is designed to help families better understand the dementia diagnosis journey in Northern Ireland.
The website is free to use, has a downloadable printer friendly PDF and includes signposting to private services based in Northern Ireland.
My reasons behind creating the website were borne out of discussions with a very close friend who was starting down the arduous path of trying to secure a dementia diagnosis for his mother during the summer. Given my employment in the private healthcare sector (albeit the financial side), I was keen to help him get the clarity he was looking for on the various steps involved in the dementia diagnosis journey. When searching online for guidance, it really struck me just how overwhelming and untailored the information is, particularly in relation to the availability of local services and support networks.
So, with that being the case, I decided to build a website with the aim of housing clear and concise information with links to relevant sources and signposts to local services. In doing so I drew upon the expertise of a local dementia expert who helped me shape the content. Together we have aimed to create a valuable resource, explaining in non-medical terms, the typical journey from pre-assessment through to a professional care setting. I have also been mindful to ensure that it has practical application, by the inclusion of tips and takeaways and for example, a dedicated section for “managing at home”, which offers a range of practical suggestions to help the person with dementia stay in their own home for as long as is safely possible.
I would greatly appreciate your support by sharing the website with pupils, parents, guardians and staff as I attempt to help as many local people better understand the dementia journey.
Kind regards
Andrew
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