Dementia Support Line
Our support
Read the full version of our Trustees' Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22
As the pandemic continued, we adapted to changing rules and regulations, while still working to maintain a strong volume of support.
- 96% of carers and 92% of people living with dementia told us they felt we understood their needs, while 80% said their life was better as a result of our help.
- We responded to increasingly complex needs among people affected by dementia, doing our best to blend face-to-face, telephone, and digital support.
- An increased proportion of people affected by dementia went into care homes, so this sadly led to the closure of some of our group services due to low membership.
“It really feels like Alzheimer’s Society has withdrawn from local provision. They handed over Singing for the Brain to another group. Cognitive stimulation is now run by another group. I don’t see anything from them locally.”
Vernon, living with dementia, Bedfordshire
It was a process of continual testing and learning, as we moved in and out of lockdowns and started reinstating in-person services wherever possible.
- 30,000 people affected by dementia used our group services this year.
- We made 42,283 Companion Calls in 2021/22, supporting 21,760 people.
- In 2021/22, more than 5,000 new people joined our online community Talking Point, and the platform had almost 1.3m visits.
- By March 2022, approximately 60% of our services were delivered face-to-face.
Local support with Dementia Voice
“It feels good to be doing things that are still part of my skillset. For me, the opportunity to speak at conferences and to be on interview panels makes me feel valued — a great source of mental and emotional support.”
- Clare, carer for her husband who has dementia, Cornwall
- Our Dementia Voice programme helped shape our influence in health and social care, providing a space for people with dementia to have their voices heard.
- Dementia Voice participants also gave feedback on our services and influenced our fundraising messaging.
- Throughout 2021/22 there were 7,150 participations in 695 Dementia Voice activities.
- This included more than 27,000 online users of our nationally-recognised Dementia Experience Toolkit.
“It looks to most people like I’m fine. I’ve got used to putting on a false front.”
Andrea Elliott-Denham is a trans woman diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She lives with her partner Ella in Wales.
Read moreAndrea's Story
“I find evenings are worst for me. I get hallucinations and problems with attention. My memory is so much worse at night. I remember things from my childhood, but recent memories are nearly all gone.
It looks to most people like I'm fine. I've got used to putting on a false front. If it wasn't for my partner Ella I wouldn't be able to cope at all.
We used to live in the middle of nowhere. I knew I had to think about the future as I no longer drive. I have moved house with the support of Alzheimer’s Society.
Moving house is complex and stressful for anyone. But for someone with dementia, it is an incredibly anxious time. Our dementia support worker acted as a conduit between us and the local authority. That relieved a lot of pressure for Ella and I.
Alzheimer’s Society has helped a lot since my diagnosis. Earlier this year, I got a chance to make my voice heard in Dementia Together magazine. Sharing my story was good for me. It helped me by thinking back on the important turning points in my life.
Hopefully, it might help others to understand people like me. I hope it all helps.
I’ve had quite a few communications from the Society. Not all of them were appropriate for me in my position. I prefer face-to-face communication. I understood that the Society needed to do a lot of online and telephone work over that year. I think you got the balance about right.”
Andrea Elliott-Denham is a trans woman diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She lives with her partner Ella in Wales.