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Bank holiday information - Easter

Bank holiday information for our services, including opening times and emergency contacts. All recycling collections will take place on the usual days.

Dementia support from Social Services

Social Services work in partnership with the health service and the voluntary sector to provide information, services and support for people living with dementia and their carers.

Before someone can receive support from Social Services, we will have to carry out an assessment of their needs.

The assessment process

An assessment helps us to see if a person has care and support needs, and to work out if they are eligible for help from Social Services. Often, both social workers and health service staff will be involved in the assessment process, depending on the kind of difficulties that someone is experiencing. We have found that we can support people with dementia most effectively by looking at all aspects of the person and the family or other carers who are supporting them, as one whole.

You can find more information about the assessment process on the following page: Care and support assessments for adults.

We aim to provide support which enables people with dementia to continue to live in their own homes or, where appropriate, a care home. Through building on a person's strengths, life history and activities that have some meaning for the individual, we aim to develop and increase their independence and well-being. The support Social Services can provide will vary according to someone's assessed needs.

Social Services support may include:

  • Care and support at home - someone to help with day-to-day tasks such as washing, dressing and meals that someone with dementia might find too difficult on their own. Our page on Care at home explains more detail about this.
  • Assistive technology - sensors, alarms and gadgets that help keep people with dementia safe at home and enable them to do things they would otherwise be unable to do themselves.
  • A break from home - day centres and social groups can provide an opportunity for people living with dementia to have social contact and stimulation. Groups exist for people at various stages of dementia.
  • A break for the carer - it is important that carers look after their own health and wellbeing. Sometimes a carer may need a break from their caring responsibilities. This could be just for a few hours or may be a couple of weeks.
  • Residential assessment service - specialist support to help people with dementia regain the skills and confidence to return to live at home after a period of ill health. Our page on Residential reablement services for people with dementia explains more detail about this.
  • Long term residential care - sometimes it is no longer possible to care safely for someone with dementia at home. This may be because of the way their condition is affecting them, or may be because the carer's own circumstances make it difficult. Our page on residential and nursing care might help you with some of the decisions you might have to make.

Request an assessment of your care or support needs Care and support assessments for adults 

Care and support assessments for adults

How Social Services assesses your needs for care and support.

Charges for care at home

What you might be expected to pay towards the cost of your care and support at home and how we calculate the charges.

Paying for residential care

How much you will have to pay for residential care depends on your income, savings and other assets.

Residential reablement services for people with dementia

Social Services have developed an assessment unit which aims to help more people with dementia to continue to live at home.