Last year more people in Dorset called the national Dementia UK Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline than ever before. Lack of services and available help meant even more people reached out to the charity for specialist advice. Now a new dementia specialist Admiral Nurse service is planned to help people in Dorset get the specialist care and support they need.
The nurse, who will receive specialist training and support from Dementia UK, is being recruited by the Good Oaks Home Care team in Bournemouth, who provide tailored live-in and visiting care to help people live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.
Admiral Nurses provide life-changing care for families affected by all forms of dementia – including Alzheimer’s disease. The new role will complement the organisation’s live-in and visiting care capabilities and provide in-depth, tailored support for families and people with dementia.
In 2019, there were 401 calls from Dorset to the Dementia UK Helpline. This jumped to 448 calls in 2020 and so far, this year there have been 232 calls – meaning that 2021 is on course to be just as busy as last year.
Nationally, delays in accessing a diagnosis have been one of the top reasons for calls to the Helpline over the last few months, along with lack of access to support.
Emma Scattergood, a former family carer from Dorset, who cared for her mother with vascular dementia, said about Admiral Nursing: “If mum got distressed, my Admiral Nurse, Linda, would know to take her off to a quiet corner to look at photographs to settle her; or she would move her away from the TV and towards the garden. She brought an extra level of care which I had not seen before.
“After mum had passed away at the care home, Linda joined me at mum’s bedside for some time. It was a reflection of just how much she meant to me and how supported I have felt by her. Linda was incredible in helping me support my mum and also in supporting me.”
Julie Allen, Head of Business and Service Development at Dementia UK said: “Admiral Nurses represent the gold standard in dementia care, helping families live more positively through a range of practical and emotional solutions. Our Helpline receives a high number of calls from Dorset in comparison to the rest of the UK, which points to the need to improve access to dementia care and support here. I am delighted about the potential of this new role to allow us to do just that.”
Director of Good Oaks Home Care, Ben Ashton said they were honoured to be working with Dementia UK to bring an Admiral Nurse to the Bournemouth and Poole area. He said: “We pride ourselves on putting clients at the centre of their care and work with them, their loved ones, GPs and their wider care team to help people live independent and happy lives in their own homes for as long as possible. Admiral Nurses change lives, and we are looking for that special person to join our team.”
To apply to become the Bournemouth and Poole Admiral Nurse, please click here.
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