Type
Memory Assessment ServiceMany people experience problems with declining memory. Northamptonshire Memory Assessment Service (MAS) covers the whole of Northamptonshire providing diagnosis and on-going information and support, working with other specialists and services to achieve the best outcome for you.
The memory assessment team consists of psychiatrists, speciality doctors in old age psychiatry, community psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, community support workers and clinical and assistant psychologists.
Who is this service for? People over the age of 65.
Access how: Referral is by the GP or hospital specialist.
Available Locations
Useful resources
Memory Assessment Service Information leaflet
Memory Monitoring Clinic leaflet
Use of antipsychotic medicines in treating people with dementia
Living Well With Dementia Groups
Living well Dementia Group - Berrywood
Living well Dementia Group - Wellingborough and East Northants
Living well Dementia Group leaflet - Daventry
Living well Dementia Group leaflet - Kettering/Corby
Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Resources
NHFT Mild cognitive impairment leaflet
Mild Cognitive Impairment Workshop - Daventry
Mild Cognitive Impairment Workshop Rushden
Mild Cognitive Impairment Workshop Stuart Road
Mild Cognitive Impairment Workshop Watermill Resources
Age UK - information on exercise and local exercise groups
Alzheimer's Society - Memory aids, tools and strategies
First for Wellbeing - Get involved
First for Wellbeing - Adult Learning in Northamptonshire
Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire - Get involved
Gov.uk - Get involved in your local community
Mental Health Foundation - Mindfulness
Future Learn - new skills online
NHS Choices - strength and flexibility podcasts
NHS Choices - How is my alcohol consumption?
NHS Choices - How healthy is my heart?
NHS Choices - Are you at risk of Type 2 Diabetes?
NHS Choices - Do you have a sleep problem?
NHS Choices - Could I be depressed?
NHS Choices - Twelve week weight loss guide
NHS Choices - One You easy meals App
NHS One You Website - helping you to get fit
Positive Psychology Programme - Nine positive exercises
BBC Horizon - Rainy Brain/Sunny Brain
Cognitive Stimulation Software Project
Memory assessment service (MAS) cognitive stimulation software project
Currently when a person is referred to a NHS memory assessment service (because they are experiencing cognitive deficits or decline) and receives a Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) diagnosis, or they do not receive a diagnosis of MCI or dementia, they are given verbal and written information but usually no treatment is available.
Receiving a diagnosis of MCI can be a significant event in a person’s life. It can be a chance for a person to reassess their lives and their behaviours that influence their health, wellbeing, activity and functioning. People referred to MAS who do not get a MCI or dementia diagnosis will still be experiencing cognitive deficits or decline. It is important that services offer access to useful resources at the earliest stage of cognitive decline to enable the best future outcomes. Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been offering signposting to resources via its website and some group workshops for people with MCI.
MyCognition Limited has invested over £5 million to develop a software program to assess and train cognitive functioning and support healthy lifestyles. It was designed and built by cognitive scientists, has 17,000+ user cases across ages, genders, health states and is CE Mark Class 1A Medical Device for intended purpose. It has been reviewed by NHS digital and been defined as a ‘Trusted digital tool for patients and the public to manage and improve their health’. It can be bought by anyone in the UK. MyCognition has evidence that it can enhance cognitive functioning with various patient groups? e.g. depression, schizophrenia, learning disability, Parkinson’s disease, and anxiety (Shah et al. 2016? Nieman et al. 2015? van de Weijer et al 2016? Cliveden et al. 2017).
As a part of routine practice, over a period of 12 months people who have been referred to the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust memory assessment service (MAS), but who have not received a dementia diagnosis, will be given the option of free access to MyCognition. Using MyCognition may enhance cognition and educate and train people in healthy lifestyles and encourage positive behavioural change. Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will evaluate the uptake and impact of undertaking the software program on cognitive functioning and seek to gain users feedback.
Project start date: 10 March 2019
Project end date: 19 March 2020
Dementia Information for BME communities
Here we have some information for black, minority and ethnic communities:
Information on the impact dementia on the BME communities which is for carers, family members, and people living with dementia
MECOPP
Minority ethnic carers of older people project website: Support for minority ethnic carers to access supports and services that suit their caring situation.
Guidance on care and support issues for clinicians and care staff working with dementia on BME communities
PRIAE - Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity
Vast variety of publications on ethnicity and ageing, including material on a Major European Initiative on Mental Health in Dementia.
Online text-based materials on dementia in translation for carers, family members and people living with dementia
Alzheimer's Society
Dementia Guide available in: Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Traditional Chinese and Welsh
Health Information Translations
Provides education resources in multiple languages for health care professionals and others to use in their communities: French, Somali, Hindi, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Ukranian and Chinese Simplified
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Translations of their mental health information: Chinese, French, Hindi, Japanese, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian and Russian
Online video-based material on dementia translation for carers, family members and people living with dementia
Investing in Ageing and Ethnicity - from 'My Yorkshire'
PRIAE - Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity
Ageing and Ethnicity: Dementia Matters Ethnic Concerns
PRIAE - Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity
Ageing and Ethnicity: Minority Elders Policy Network
PRIAE - Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity
Ageing and Ethnicity: Playing Our Part After 50
PRIAE - Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity
Ageing and Ethnicity: Progressing Policy with Passion
PRIAE - Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity
Other recommendations
Chinese National Healthy Living Centre
Asian Peoples Disability Alliance