New chapter for dementia support
A new initiative to provide support and information for people living with dementia and their carers is being launched at Jubilee Library today (January 28).
The library is hosting a Dementia café (De-café) in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society. The café will provide opportunities for local families living with dementia to meet each other and get advice and information from health professionals from across the city.
The event also marks the launch of the latest Reading Agency initiative, which promotes a new collection of books on dementia, chosen by health experts and carers groups.
The 25 titles on the ‘Reading Well Books on Prescription for Dementia’ list have been selected to support people living with dementia, their families and carers, and include: health information on dementia, suitable for the layperson as well as accounts from carers about their experiences of caring for a loved one with dementia.
There are also books to help children understand dementia and suggestions for shared therapeutic activities.
Dementia titles will be available to borrow in libraries across the city.
Elisa Vaughan, from the Alzheimer’s Society, who is looking forward to joining the De-café said:
‘Books on Prescription focusing on Dementia, is a really exciting initiative happening in libraries across the country and Alzheimer’s Society’s is proud to be part of the launch in Brighton & Hove by facilitating a Dementia café. These can really help improve people’s quality of life, run by Alzheimer’s Society staff and volunteers, the cafes provide an opportunity for people to socialise and get much needed face to face support. The Dementia Cafes provide people with dementia and carers a platform to talk openly about living with dementia within a relaxed and informal environment.’
Cllr Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the council’s Economic Development and Culture Committee added: “Brighton & Hove’s libraries are no longer just places to borrow books – but have evolved into valuable community hubs where residents can access a wide range of information and services.
Therefore we are extremely proud to be able to expand our range of services and work with the Alzheimer’s Society to provide this important new resource for people living with dementia and their carers.”
The Alzheimer’s Society is currently running Carers’ Information and Support programmes at Hove Library and will be starting a new dementia Café at Hangleton Library on February 26.
The De-café will take place on the last Wednesday of each month from 6 to 8pm. For more details phone the Alzheimer’s Society on 01273 726266.
Please see http://readingagency.org.uk/adults/news/reading-well-books-on-prescription-dementia-scheme.html if you would like more information about the national library dementia initiative.