Banbury area people impacted by dementia are offered sessions with experts in Banbury

Dementia UK, a leading dementia nursing charity, has partnered Leeds Building Society to offer the Closer to Home clinics beginning tomorrow (Wednesday).

The clinics will be held in the Banbury branch of Leeds Building Society, bringing emotional and practical support closer to families with dementia, through the charity’s specialist dementia nurses, known as Admiral Nurses.

Dementia UK’s Closer to Home clinics will run on Sepember 20, Thursday September 21, and next week from Wednesday – Friday, September 26, 27 and 28.

The face-to-face clinic will offer a safe, comfortable and private space for families to discuss any aspect of dementia and receive the specialist support of Admiral Nurses.

Ruby Guild, Admiral Nurse at Dementia UK, said: “We’re proud to bring our Closer to Home project to Banbury and offer specialist face-to-face clinics in the area. We know the difficulties that families in Banbury and the surrounding areas often experience. We know that dementia doesn’t just affect the person with the diagnosis – families, friends and carers are also impacted.

“Since launching in 2022, our Closer to Home clinics have made a difference to families across the UK, helping us to deliver specialist dementia support in person. It’s been brilliant to see the difference this makes and we are looking forward to supporting people in Banbury in partnership with Leeds Building Society.

“Dementia is a huge and growing health crisis. This means it’s more important than ever for us to reach families and offer one-on-one support from our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses.

“From worries about memory problems to understanding a dementia diagnosis and how the condition progresses, we will be providing practical and emotional advice on caring for someone who lives with this progressive condition, along with giving advice on financial and legal issues.”

Dementia UK recently conducted nationwide research into the impact of dementia which revealed that almost half (47 per cent) of people in the South-East say they have been impacted by the condition, while, just over half (51 per cent) of people in the region are worried about how a diagnosis of dementia could have an impact on their relationships with family and friends.

Two thirds (68 per cent) of people are not aware of all or most of the types of support available for families living with dementia.

In April 2020, Dementia UK and Leeds Building Society announced a four-year partnership to raise £500,000 to help over 2,500 families with dementia across the UK. As part of this partnership the innovative ‘Closer to Home’ project was also launched in June 2021 to improve access to dementia care and support.

The partnership’s initial target of £500,000 has now been exceeded. Thanks to this, Dementia UK has been able to develop and deliver virtual appointments with specialist dementia nurses for an even larger number of families and individuals.

Richard Fearon, CEO of Leeds Building Society, said: “Dementia UK was voted as our charity partner by our members and colleagues, and we are thrilled to have raised over £700,000 for them, exceeding the £500,000 fundraising target we set ourselves at the start of this partnership.”

To book a confidential and in-person appointment, visit dementiauk.org/closer-to-home