Dementia Support Line
Advice
‘Don’t be afraid to call’ – how our Dementia Support Line can help you
Denise Maguire, from our Dementia Support Line, tells us how her team is here to help anyone who needs dementia support.
I am a Team Leader on the Dementia Support Line. We are open seven days a week, and we stay open until 8pm on Monday to Wednesday evenings.
Our team is based in three locations – Birmingham, Warrington and Belfast.
We provide a national service for people with a diagnosis of dementia, carers, family or anyone worried about their memory.
We are often the first point of contact for people.
Sometimes people think that Alzheimer’s Society only supports people who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease. But we are here for everyone affected by any form of dementia, including young onset.
Providing dementia support
If you call, you will speak to one of our friendly and expert Dementia Advisers. They will take time to let you talk and tell your story.
You can ask questions about anything, no matter where you are on your dementia journey.
We get all sorts of calls.
They can be about practical situations, like how to get a diagnosis or how to plan for the future once you have a diagnosis.
There are also more emotional calls about the impact dementia is having on the carer or the person with dementia.
Sometimes just having a listening ear and sharing things can help put a situation into perspective.
Dementia advice and information
We offer advice and information, but we can also link you in with local dementia support services in your area, if that is what you need.
We can put you in touch with other useful services too, such as Lasting Power of Attorney assistance or our online Dementia Support Forum. We can also signpost to other organisations who may be more appropriate for your query.
We help to empower and instil confidence in our callers.
It is lovely to hear, at the end of a call, the change in the caller’s voice.
That sense of relief and that they have a plan of action can be so powerful. It might avoid a crisis situation developing.
Talking openly about dementia
Educating family members in ways to communicate more compassionately with each other can have a hugely positive impact on how they navigate dementia together.
We often get feedback that the call made a difference, and it is rewarding to know that we have helped.
The message that we would like to get across is: don’t be afraid to call. We are here to help.
Contact the Dementia Support Line
If you are affected by any type of dementia, worried about a diagnosis or if you are a carer, trained staff are ready to give you the support you need – call 0333 150 3456.