Alzheimer’s Society fight to avoid leaving vulnerable people in Lincs without vital support

Alzheimer's Society is calling on Lincolnshire residents to help prevent those affected by dementia from being abandoned without support. The Society is deeply concerned that, as Lincolnshire County Council has not renewed contracts, Alzheimer's Society has been forced to close the services it provided for carers of people with dementia in the county. The Society is now actively calling for volunteers to join its campaign, help deliver alternative services and fundraise, to make sure that people affected by dementia are not left to cope alone.

Pat Johnson, 67, from South Lincolnshire, says,

'I'm utterly devastated at the news that our local Alzheimer's Society service is closing. I know I speak on behalf of the whole group when I say that without our local support worker's constant help and support, we will be lost. My husband has had Alzheimer's for six years so I can tell you that coping with someone that has dementia on a daily basis is challenging enough. How can Lincolnshire Council leave us with no support or help?'

Ian Howarth, Alzheimer's Society Area Manager - East Midlands says,

'It's unacceptable that we are forced to close our services. This will have a devastating effect on the community, as it's vital those affected by dementia receive the support they so desperately rely on.'

We understand the difficulties the current economic and political environment place on the council's decision making, but we will be campaigning to ensure that the council reinstate and expand statutory services to meet the needs outlined in Lincolnshire Dementia Strategy. Commissioners of services need to understand that a likely outcome of not providing services to support people through dementia is that they will reach 'crisis point', where they are unable to cope with the pressures of daily care and require even more costly emergency intervention.

Approximately 10,000 people have dementia in Lincolnshire, and for the three years to June 2010 Lincolnshire County Council contracted Alzheimer's Society to provide services to support some of those caring for them. Alzheimer's Society had expected services would be continued and even expanded to reach across the entire county, in line with the recently launched Lincolnshire Dementia Strategy. It therefore bore the costs of providing existing services, when the contract ended in June, in the hope that the funding gap would be a temporary arrangement.

As no new contracts have since been offered by Lincolnshire County Council to Alzheimer's Society, or any other organisations, to provide any dementia related services, it has become necessary for Alzheimer's Society to close its carer support groups. However, the Society refuses to stop campaigning for the needs of people affected by dementia and is calling for help from the local community to add their voice, fundraise and volunteer.

Alzheimer's Society hopes to be in a position to develop a new range of services next year to meet the need identified in Lincolnshire Dementia Strategy. This will increase the choice available to people affected by dementia, in addition to those available when statutory services are resumed.

Alzheimer's Society has formed a Community Dementia Forum in Lincolnshire where organisations such as Lincolnshire Police, as well as interested members of the community, can come together and plan ideas to address some of the issues that people affected by dementia face in the county. The first meeting will focus on issues related to people being confused and walking the streets alone.

Anyone interested in volunteering, donating funds or attending the community dementia forum should contact Ian Howarth on 01636 642804 from Monday 15 November.

Notes to editors:

• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia.
• Alzheimer's Society research shows that 750,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In just 15 years a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051.
• Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them.
• Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Alzheimer's Society supports people to live well with dementia today and funds research to find a cure for tomorrow. We rely on voluntary donations to continue our vital work. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting alzheimers.org.uk
• Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit alzheimers.org.uk