Checklist for people with dementia and their carers

The Dementia Advisory Service and Age Concern Bracknell Forest host a coffee morning together.  Everyone is welcome and it is a great opportunity to have a chat with the team, as well as meet up with others in a similar situation. 

Event details are:

• when: every Monday 10:30am to midday
• where: The Admiral Cunningham, Priestwood Court Road, Bracknell, RG42 1TU 

If you are coming along for the first time, let us know in advance so we can introduce you when you arrive. You can call us on 01189 046900 or email us at dementia.adviser@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.

There are lots of support groups and events for you to consider joining. 

If you need help to access these groups, the Bracknell Forest Community Network can help you. 

If transport is an issue, our voluntary transport service may be able to help. 

Discover support groups and events

The Alzheimer’s Society have produced a great guide to help you live well with dementia. You don’t need to read all this information at once. You can focus on the parts that seem most relevant.

You may also find our guide helpful - living well with dementia.

Find out how to share your views on services and support. 

The Alzheimer's Society has a useful guide on planning ahead, that includes information about lasting power of attorney and advance care planning. 

You may also like to consider completing a ‘This is Me’ document to share with others. This can be used to share information about yourself.

Age UK has a free booklet called Life Book. It is a place where you can write important information about your life, from who insures your car to where you put the TV licence.

If you are driving with a diagnosis of dementia  you must tell:

• the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
• your car insurance company

Having a diagnosis of dementia doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stop driving. You can continue to drive for as long as it is safe to do so. 

You may find it helpful to use this NHS driving decision making tool (pdf download - 5.8MB)

You may be invited to attend a CST. This is a programme of themed activity sessions held at the Memory Clinic one morning a week for 14 weeks. CST is one of a number of different approaches including therapy, that can support you to cope with memory loss.

If you are interested in attending, call the Bracknell Memory Clinic on 01189 046900.

Message in a bottle is a simple idea where emergency information is kept in a small plastic bottle. This can then be easily and quickly found by the Emergency Services in an emergency.

If you'd like to do this, the Bracknell Forest Lions Club can help. 

The Thames Valley Police -  Herbert Protocol – is a useful document to complete and refer back to should a person with dementia get lost in the community.  

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue service offer a free safe and well home visit to help reduce fire risks.

Vulnerable people, including people with dementia and those aged over 60 are eligible.

You can request a home visit by completing the safe and well online request form.

Consider if any home adaptations would make things easier.

These could include:

• handrails
• stairlifts
• ramps
• lifeline pendants
• medication dispensers

Visit our occupational therapy page. 

The Alzheimer's Society have a booklet about making your home dementia friendly. 

We may also have grants available to make your home dementia friendly - visit our disabled facilities grants pages to find out more. 

A lifeline may benefit someone who feels vulnerable at home. This may be due to age, disability, ill health or simply because you live alone and need a friendly and reassuring voice at the end of the phone. Forestcare have other alarms and sensors to also help around the home. They also have options for GPS locator devices including the Pocket Pal.

Other GPS locator options are available. Please speak with your Care Coordinator.

If you are looking for some extra help at home the Berkshire Care Directory provides information and guidance on accessing support through local care agencies as well as care homes.

Support With Confidence is an organisation that has a list of self-employed care workers (sometimes called personal assistants).

Know how to request a care needs assessment. Find out about your entitlement to a care needs assessment, including how to request an assessment using our online portal.

Check if there are any benefits that may apply to you or the person you supporting you.

The Age UK website has advice on benefits, including a benefits calculator.

This can help you find out what benefits you could be owed, including:

• attendance allowance
• carer's allowance

Find out about support visits if you need help to claim benefits, on GOV.UK. 

Consider completing a lasting power of attorney for finance and health and welfare.

This is a legal document that lets you appoint one or more people to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf.

Check if you might be asked to contribute towards any future care costs. Calculate your contribution.

Our carer organisation for Bracknell Forest is SIGNAL. They offer free information and advice to adult carers. 

Register on the Signal 4 Carers website.

You might wonder what would happen if you had an emergency that meant you couldn't provide the care you usually do. Having a carer's emergency card can help give you peace of mind.

Think about completing a carers assessment with us. This is a good opportunity to review your own needs and get the support you need.

For carers of people with dementia there is a carers assessment template that can be completed. You can either complete this and send to your care coordinator or you can ask us to help you complete the form.

Contact your utility companies to tell them you are a carer. Some companies may provide benefits.

Contact your GP to register as a carer.

Find out more on Carers UK. 

Consider attending the understanding dementia training course for family carers. 

To sign up, call the Bracknell Memory Clinic on 01189 046900.

Introduce yourself to your care coordinator. If you don't know who that is, ask us and we can help.

Your care coordinator could be our:

• dementia adviser
• community psychiatric nurse
• social worker

Ask us to add your details to our dementia adviser eNewsletter distribution list.

A copy of the most recent newsletter can be found on our Dementia Advisory Service page. 

Consider attending our dementia forum, held in April and October. This forum is for people living with dementia and their unpaid carers (family and friends). 

Explore the community map and find out what's happening near you.