Are You Caring for Someone with Dementia in East Dorset? Here’s What You Should Know
Caring for someone with dementia in East Dorset? Find local help, tips, and support that matters.
If you’re caring for a loved one with dementia in East Dorset, you may be wondering how best to support them—while also finding the help you need to care for yourself. The good news is that you don’t have to face this journey alone. With the right guidance, routines, and community support, families can create a safer, more compassionate environment for someone living with dementia. As we mark Dementia Action Week (19–25 May 2025), Home Instead East Dorset is proud to share practical advice and highlight the resources available across our region for those navigating this important role.
In this guide, we’ll explore the local services, home care options, daily tips, and emotional support that can make a real difference for both you and your loved one, today and into the future.
How We’re Supporting Families During Dementia Action Week 2025
At Home Instead East Dorset, we’re using Dementia Action Week as an opportunity to stand beside local carers, families, and individuals living with dementia.
Throughout the week, our team will be:
- Hosting free drop-in advice sessions for families seeking guidance on care at home.
- Collaborating with community partners to share information on personalised dementia support.
- Sharing stories and care tips online to raise awareness and offer encouragement.
Locally we will be joining West Moors Dementia Action Group at their stall in the high street to educate local people about Dementia and the support available.
If you’d like to join us, or learn more about how we can support your family during and beyond Dementia Action Week, please contact the Home Instead East Dorset team—we’re always happy to help.
Understanding Dementia: What Families Need to Know
Dementia is not a single disease, but rather a collection of symptoms caused by different conditions affecting the brain. It impacts memory, thinking, problem-solving, and communication. While it becomes more common with age, it is not a natural part of getting older.
In Dorset, over 7,000 individuals live with dementia, and many more are affected as family carers, friends, and loved ones.
Types of Dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease: Often involves early memory loss, confusion with time or place, and language difficulties.
- Vascular dementia: Associated with reduced thinking speed, concentration problems, and can follow a stroke.
- Dementia with Lewy bodies: May cause vivid hallucinations, sleep issues, and changes in alertness.
- Frontotemporal dementia: Typically affects younger people, impacting behaviour, personality, and language skills.
Recognising the different types helps families access the right support and better understand the behaviours they may observe.
How Dementia Can Affect Daily Life
No two experiences of dementia are identical, but common symptoms include:
- Memory difficulties: Forgetting conversations or misplacing belongings.
- Language struggles: Finding it hard to express thoughts or understand others.
- Planning challenges: Difficulty organising tasks or making decisions.
- Visual perception problems: Misjudging distances or recognising familiar faces.
- Emotional changes: Increased anxiety, sadness, irritability, or suspicion.
These can lead to moments of confusion or emotional difficulty—for both the person and their loved ones, both for the individual and their family. Knowing how dementia affects day-to-day life can help you respond with compassion and patience.
Practical Tips for Caring for a Loved One with Dementia
Supporting someone with dementia is a role that requires patience, understanding, and practical strategies. Here are some approaches that can help:
1. Establish a Routine
Familiar routines can reduce anxiety and help the person feel more secure. Try to keep daily activities, such as meals and bedtimes, at consistent times.
2. Focus on Communication
Use simple, clear sentences. Maintain eye contact and offer reassurance if your loved one becomes confused or distressed.
3. Create a Dementia-Friendly Environment
Minimise clutter at home, label cupboards and doors clearly, and ensure important items are easy to find.
4. Reassure Rather than Correct
If your loved one expresses confusion or misremembers events, gently steer the conversation rather than arguing.
5. Encourage Meaningful Activities
Whether it’s gardening, music, gentle walks, or looking through photo albums, doing activities together helps maintain emotional connection.
Support Services for Dementia Carers in East Dorset
Can sometimes feel emotionally or physically demanding. Reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness; it is an important step to maintain your own well-being.
Alzheimer’s Society
The Alzheimer’s Society provides specialist advisers who can offer practical and emotional support. Call the National Dementia Helpline on 0333 150 3456.
Dementia Carers
Dementia Carers offers free courses and resources for families across Dorset. Their advice line is 0800 652 1102 and they welcome email enquiries at [email protected].
Help & Care
Providing a Dementia Coordinator service across Dorset, Help & Care offers advice on care options, benefits, and memory support. Call 0300 123 1916 or email [email protected].
Intensive Community Support for Dementia (ICSD)
ICSD services are available for urgent community-based dementia support:
- West Dorset areas (Sherborne, Weymouth, Dorchester, Blandford): 01305 361484 or [email protected]
East Dorset areas (Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Wimborne, Purbeck): 0300 7900 213 or [email protected]
Enjoyable Activities to Share
Staying active and engaged can lift spirits and help maintain a sense of connection and joy. In East Dorset, there are many activities for people living with dementia and their families:
- Reminiscence Groups: Available through local libraries and community hubs, offering shared memories and conversation.
- Stepping into Nature: Outdoor sessions designed specifically for people living with dementia.
- Memory Cafés: Places to relax, enjoy a cup of tea, and share experiences.
- Music Therapy Groups: Singing and music-making can bring moments of joy and connection.
Specific local groups include:
- Step Ahead Group, Blandford Forum: Meets monthly, call 01258 480762.
- Tricuro Shaftesbury Plus: Open six days a week, call 01747 854959 or email [email protected].
- Growing Compassionate Communities: Runs dementia-friendly walks and events. Visit growingcompassion.org.uk.
Taking Care of Yourself as a Carer
Looking after your own health and emotional well-being is vital when caring for someone with dementia.
- Talk to someone: Carer Support Dorset’s “Here to Talk” service offers a friendly voice whenever you need it.
- Write things down: Journalling your feelings can help you process emotions and find clarity.
- Seek emotional support: Samaritans are available by email at [email protected].
These aren’t indulgences, they’re essential parts of sustaining your ability to care.
Understanding Dementia Care Options
As dementia progresses, additional support may be needed. In East Dorset, there are a range of options:
- Home care: Professional care at home to support independence.
- Residential care homes: Offering 24-hour assistance for those needing more structured support.
- Nursing homes: Providing medical care for those with advanced dementia.
- Respite care: Temporary stays in care homes to give carers a break.
- Specialist dementia units: Tailored environments for individuals with more complex needs.
Financial Support for Dementia Care
Navigating care funding can be confusing, but help is available:
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC): Fully funds care for those with substantial medical needs.
- Local council funding: For those with savings under £23,250.
- Benefits: Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance offer financial assistance.
Speaking with an adviser experienced in elder care finance can help you understand what is available and how to apply.
Specialised Support for Early-Onset Dementia
For those diagnosed under the age of 65, Dorset provides dedicated Early Onset Dementia Coordinators. Tailored support ensures that younger individuals and their families receive age-appropriate services and resources.
Legal Planning and Future Decisions
Early conversations about legal matters can bring peace of mind:
- Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA): Ensures decisions about health and finances are made by someone trusted.
- Advance care planning: Outlines wishes for medical treatment and future care.
Putting plans in place early helps ensure that your loved one’s preferences are honoured.
Final Thoughts
Managing dementia as a family caregiver is one of the most significant responsibilities anyone can face. It can bring moments of joy, sadness, frustration, and pride. In East Dorset, you are not alone. Local services, compassionate organisations, and Home Instead East Dorset are here to offer support, advice, and care whenever you need it.
By reaching out, accessing local resources, and looking after your own well-being, you can make a positive difference in your loved one’s journey with dementia.
Areas We Serve
Blandford, Wimborne, Ringwood, Verwood and the surrounding areas.
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