Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse & CEO for Dementia UK shares her ambitious vision for the future of dementia nursing and how you can join us to make this a reality.
Every three minutes, someone in the UK develops dementia. Each family will have its own unique experiences of the condition – and every day, new and complex challenges can emerge.
We hear time and time again from families who receive little or no support after a loved one is diagnosed with dementia. Many struggle to know where to turn and are left feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and alone.
Admiral Nurses are experts in dementia and are a lifeline when families need it most. Their knowledge and experience means they can help families manage complex needs, and they take the time to truly get to know the person with dementia and their family, providing the practical tips, guidance and emotional support they so desperately need.
We believe that families affected by dementia in all areas of the UK should have timely support from an Admiral Nurse – but right now, there simply aren’t enough to reach every family that needs them. There are currently 434 Admiral Nurses throughout the UK. If we are to support these families when they need it most, we need to increase the number of Admiral Nurses to at least 1,000.
Our vision is to grow the number of nurses so we can be there for everyone who needs us.
Would you consider making a donation today, so that together, we can take a step closer to reaching our target of helping every family affected by dementia access specialist nursing support?
Admiral Nurses’ extensive clinical knowledge and skills means they can help families manage the complex issues that may arise in families impacted by dementia.
Their expertise and experience mean they know just how to help, no matter what each family is facing.
Sheridan, dementia specialist Admiral NurseI was supporting a family whose mother lived alone with dementia. Their mum was becoming increasingly distressed – she thought she was being followed about the house by a ‘strange lady’. When I arrived at her home, I noticed that the stairway had mirrors at the top and bottom. There was also a full-length mirror in the hallway, and huge glass doors out into the back garden. I suggested to the family that their mum may no longer recognise her own reflection and thought it was an intruder in her home. I advised the family to take down the mirrors and cover the doors with net curtains to see if this reduced her distress. Within two weeks, it became apparent that the changes the family had made had worked – their mum hadn’t mentioned the intruder again. This simple intervention prevented her from being prescribed unnecessary medication and took away a source of great distress for her and her loved ones. She was able to remain at home as she wished, with the support of her family.
One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia. There are currently 944,000 people living with dementia with numbers set to rise over the next few years as our population ages. There will be a growing need for more Admiral Nurses to meet their unique needs and support them in the most difficult situations.
With families at breaking point, we need to provide more specialist dementia support – and we can only do it with your help. Will you support Dementia UK today and help ensure no one has to face dementia alone?
Two years ago, Dementia UK partnered with the Chinese Welfare Trust to launch a new dementia specialist Admiral Nurse clinic to support Chinese and South-East Asian families. Admiral Nurse Emily Ka-Hei Lui reflects on the pilot service and its early achievements.
Thea Sobers is a Research Assistant at Dementia UK. Her past work has focused on overcoming barriers to dementia support for Black, African and Caribbean communities.
Hannah Gardner, Consultant Admiral Nurse for Children and Young People, shares tips on how young dementia carers can look after themselves during the holidays.
