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Following on from a clinic in Newry in November Admiral Nurses, a team of nurses specialising in dementia care will once again host clinics at Nationwide in the city later this month. The clinic will offer tailored support and guidance to anyone affected by the condition.
The clinic takes place in the Newry Nationwide on 14, 15 and 16 January 2025.
Hosted by Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurses, the clinics are open to anyone impacted by dementia, offering life-changing support to families and individuals in Northern Ireland. The clinics will take place throughout January 2025, and appointments can be booked via www.dementiauk.org
The clinics will offer practical and emotional advice on all aspects of dementia – from worries about memory problems, understanding a diagnosis and how the condition can progress to help with financial and legal issues.
Ahead of the appointments, Dementia UK, the specialist dementia nursing charity, has shared tips on how to discuss dementia with a loved one and encourage them to visit their GP if they are showing signs or symptoms of the condition. Someone develops dementia every three minutes in the UK, and it is often a challenge to obtain an accurate diagnosis of dementia.
Tackling tough conversations – tips on speaking to someone who is showing signs of dementia from Admiral Nurses:
Act – if the person suddenly becomes upset or frustrated with themselves, this can be a good opportunity to have a conversation with them about the symptoms they are experiencing and if they’d like support with seeking help
Explain – the signs and symptoms of dementia are often shared with other conditions. Explaining this, and encouraging the person to seek advice from their GP can be less daunting than suggesting they seek a diagnosis of dementia. You can also explain that a prompt diagnosis of dementia will help them seek the right support sooner
Support – seeking support can be tough, and people will appreciate help in arranging the appointment and attending it. You can also help them to keep a symptom diary which will support a healthcare professional to make an accurate and timely diagnosis
Nationwide is funding 30 dementia specialist Admiral Nurse posts through Dementia UK, and is hosting 200 pop-up clinics in branches across the country.
Ruby Guild, Admiral Nurse at Dementia UK, said: “We’re looking forward to returning to Northern Ireland. Nationwide branches offer a safe and private space for people to access specialist support for dementia, and the Fairer Futures partnership is helping us bring face-to-face support to people in a familiar location.”
Debbie Crosbie, Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide, said: “Nationwide wants to help people live their best life possible, for as long as possible. By working with Dementia UK to fund more Admiral Nurses and turning our branches into dementia clinics, we’re helping to tackle the country’s leading cause of death. As a mutual, we work for the good of society as well as our members. We believe this and Nationwide Fairer Futures will change hundreds of thousands of lives for the better.”
The clinic is at Nationwide, Marcus Square Newry BT34 1JB and also visits Nationwide branches in Portadown, 28, 29, 30 January; Glengormley, 8, 9 January and Carrickfergus, 22, 23 January.
