A Dementia Adviser provides support to people diagnosed as living with dementia as well as their families.
How does a Dementia Adviser help?
If you are living with dementia, your Dementia Adviser’s aim is to help make it easier for you to live and cope as independently as possible and to seek out the help that you may need now and in the future.
They will work with you to assess what you may be entitled or eligible for in your local area and help you to access the information and support that you require. Having this information and support can improve your sense of wellbeing and help you continue to feel that you have control over your day-to-day life.
For families, the Dementia Adviser’s role is to evaluate your needs after a diagnosis, and to advise you on the best available sources of information and support that can help you understand and come to terms with a diagnosis of dementia, and feel confident in a caring role.
Click the button below to see our team of Dementia Advisers.
How to access this service
In Oxfordshire, Dementia Advisers work alongside GP surgeries and specialist memory clinics. If you are diagnosed with dementia, you can refer yourself to an Adviser by contacting the Dementia Oxfordshire support line (Tel: 01865 410 210), or you may be referred to one by your doctor or a social worker. Once referred, the Dementia Adviser assigned to you will make arrangements to find out more about your individual circumstances. This may be by telephone, email or a planned face-to-face meeting.
Do we have to pay?
Dementia Advisers are an integral part of the Dementia Support Services offered by the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Oxfordshire County Council (OCC).
This service is free for:
- people living with dementia
- families
- anyone else providing unpaid care
What to expect
No two family situations are the same, and no two people with dementia have exactly the same needs or experiences. The job of the dementia adviser is to start by listening to your specific concerns, how the symptoms of dementia are affecting your life and what is most important to you in your life. For more information about our approach, click here.
Broadly speaking, a Dementia Adviser will:
- Agree a time and method of contact with you.
- Listen to and answer any questions you or your family may have relating to your diagnosis, available healthcare services, medical treatments and non-medical support (e.g. social/wellbeing groups, support groups etc.).
- Tailor a personal information plan with you that will include specific details about access to the available services in your area.
