Donate to Save Dementia Services

Aim

Please help us so that we can continue to provide our network of 17 support groups for people with dementia and their carers.

Thanks to our match funders - your donation could be doubled.....so that we can continue to provide the 17 support groups for over 100 people with dementia & their carers across Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and East Dorset. 

In our groups, we use activities which prompt memory and sensory stimulation. This includes: handling common place objects, the use of flash cards, playing different sounds, watching a film, being exposed to different smells, singing, playing an instrument, listening to music and physical exercise. The participants are encouraged to discuss what they have: felt, seen, smelt or heard. Quizzes e.g. word association, are also used to stimulate cognitive reasoning. 

Between April 2021 and March 2022, we delivered 392 group sessions for a cumulative total of 3457 participants.

We are finding that the number of people requiring our support has increased since April 2022, due to the after effects of COVID. 

At the same time - our funding has decreased.

We have found that people’s dementia has worsened because of their social isolation and their carers anxiety has increased – due to the various pressures of life.

Most people living with dementia experience problems with their memory and thinking. 

This can lead to loss of: 

• Self-esteem and confidence 
• Social roles and relationships
• The ability to carry out hobbies
• Everyday life skills (for example, cooking and driving)

However, the person will still keep some of their abilities. They will still feel an emotional connection to people and their environment, even later on in the condition. 

As a result of our groups, we help the person with dementia’s:

Self-esteem; confidence; social skills; cognitive ability and provide some low level exercise.

At our groups, we treat the person with dignity and respect and give them a sense of purpose during the sessions – as well as some down time for their carer.

We also go on trips - such as a this one to an AFC Bournemouth game, where we were invited to wave the players onto the pitch.

The Memory Lane groups are led by trained staff members supported by volunteers. We provide as much one to one support as possible. We do this because many of the people attending these groups have been greatly affected by their dementia and need that one-to-one attention.

Many carers participate in delivering the sessions as volunteers. We enable peer support, as well supporting carers with their individual needs. The groups provide carers with much needed respite, if they want, so that they can focus on themselves. Many carers become volunteers, because they value the work that we do.

Why do we need your help?

It is essential that we save these groups. 

Dementia profoundly affects the health and well-being of the person experiencing it and their carer - isolating them both from support networks and affecting every area of their day-to-day life. A person experiencing dementia’s behaviour can change dramatically, affecting their relationship with their family/friends. We provide a safe space for both the person with dementia and their carer.

It is well documented that carers often neglect their needs, for those of the cared for. We know that this has been exacerbated by the pandemic/lockdown. 

We are there to make life easier and to help as best as we can.

If you could make a small donation, it will enable us to:

• Continue delivering our network of groups for 100+ people with dementia and their carers on a weekly basis.
• Support people in between meetings with problems they are experiencing in their lives. For example, helping them with adaptations to their homes and/or support for carers who are struggling with their roles, such as applying for benefits or social care support.
• Attract more participants to our groups. 
• Add to the quality of our activities. e.g., We are exploring the use of Virtual Reality and we are working with partners, so we can access a greater range of reminiscence materials.
• Recruit more volunteers and develop all our skills, to deliver better services.
• Help to keep families together for longer.

Here is some feedback from one of the carers from a Memory Lane group: 

"They are simply superb; my Mother In-Law and others are uplifted on every occasion we and they attend their functions and Memory Classes. They enter the room, sometime morose, lonely and thinking they have forgotten everything and invariably leave in high spirits. This is due not only to the friendliness and professionalism of the staff and volunteers, but also the careful planning and presentations of past music, songs, films, photographs and so, so much more - all designed to draw from them memories they thought they had forgotten, restoring a measure of self-confidence often so lacking."

"My Mother-in-Law is often in low spirits despite the efforts of my wife and myself, but when I say to her “We are going to PramaLife today” she somehow remembers, smiles, becomes animated and quite honesty cannot get out of her little flat fast enough. Thanks to PramaLife."

Please donate NOW so that we can continue to provide these services.

Thank you for your anticipated support.

This project successfully funded on 4th October 2022