Younger People with Dementia Team

Our service supports people who may be worried about their memory and thinking abilities (cognitive functioning). The services we offer include:

• Specialist assessment, care planning, treatment, and support for younger adults (aged under 65) with dementia
• Diagnosis of early-onset dementia
• Support people to live well with dementia and minimise any impairment or disability they may experience from dementia
• Support for families and carers of people with dementia with their caring roles and help them to look after their own health and wellbeing needs

The first step is to complete an assessment to rule out any other things which may be causing problems with memory or thinking abilities.

Dementia in adults under the age of 65 is called early-onset dementia.

Dementia is a progressive brain condition which can involve experiencing some of the following symptoms:

• Memory loss
• Difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language
• Changes in your ability to complete daily activities
• Changes in vision and awareness of the space around you
• Changes in mood, behaviour or personality
• Confusion
• Being disorientated with time or place - losing track of the date, time of day, where you are or how you got there
• Problems with words, speech and/or writing
• Misplacing things
• Problems controlling emotions
• Loss of judgement and decision-making ability
• Becoming withdrawn from social activities
• Loss of empathy and compassion
• Hallucinations

Younger adults tend to have rarer types of dementia and the support they need will usually be different to the support needed by an older adult with dementia.

Assessment may take place in a clinic, GP surgery, or in your own home. The assessment usually lasts between 1 and 2 hours. A family member or friend is welcome to be with you at your assessment to provide you with support.

During the assessment we will explore your memory symptoms with you and your family member and/or carer. We will ask you questions about your general health, background history, and mental health. We will also complete a cognitive test with you, which is a series of questions and tasks that help us to look at your cognitive (thinking) skills.

We may also need to do some further assessment with you - for example, an assessment of your day-to-day living skills or a paper test assessing your driving ability.

We may request for you to have an MRI brain scan but will discuss this with you if we think this is needed after your initial assessment.

At the end of the assessment we will discuss with you the outcome and any further assessments which we think may be needed. We will then send you a written report of your assessment and the outcomes we have talked about together.

NHFT has a research department that carries out dementia-related research. Research helps to improve the care available to our patients and sometimes provides opportunities to access treatment which wouldn't otherwise be available.

You may be offered the opportunity to be contacted about research studies that may be suitable for you and your needs. This is optional - so it is entirely your choice to be contacted about research opportunities or participate in research studies.

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is an evidence-based group treatment for people with mild to moderate dementia.

CST consists of 14 weekly group sessions with themed activities. Sessions usually involve an introduction, a discussion about current news stories and activities related to a particular theme, such as food, art, history or word puzzles.

CST aims to engage and stimulate people in a friendly and enjoyable group setting. Research shows it can improve thinking abilities, language skills and quality of life. It is a recommended treatment for people with dementia in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE guidelines are evidence-based guidelines setting out services and treatments for people with specific health conditions.

Who is it for?

CST is for people who have a diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia. If you have been referred to the Younger People with Dementia (YPD) team and have received a diagnosis of dementia, you may receive ongoing memory monitoring. CST is the next step for those looking to improve and maintain their memory and thinking abilities in a supportive and positive environment.

More information about CST and research into the therapy is available here: www.cstdementia.com

What can you expect from the group?

The CST group runs once a week for 14 weeks. Between six and eight people will be in the group, and the same people will attend the group for the 14 weeks. CST will last for about 1½ hours, with refreshments provided.

An important part of the group is being able to socialise and share experiences with others. Everybody is encouraged to join in, but nobody is put on the spot. Groups are relaxed and light-hearted, where everyone supports each other to cope with cognitive changes.

All CST sessions have been designed based on research. The activities are chosen to be stimulating and are aimed at strengthening or maintaining:

• Short- and long-term memory
• Focus, attention and concentration
• Understanding, recognition and communication
• Problem-solving and reasoning abilities
• Visual skills and awareness and understanding of the space around you
• Quality of life, social skills and wellbeing

Transport

If you have your own transport, free parking is available near the venue. Separate instructions will be provided if you decide to join the group.

Find out more

To find out more please contact the Younger People with Dementia team on 03000 272 350.

We offer workshops and groups to people who have been assessed by the Younger People with Dementia team and have been given a dementia diagnosis. This also includes education and support for family, friends, and carers, depending on a person's individual needs and abilities.

Next Steps workshop

This is a one-off workshop providing support and information for everyone who has recently been given a dementia diagnosis by the Younger People with Dementia team. The Next Steps workshop gives people the opportunity to learn more about dementia. People can ask questions, talk about coming to terms with the diagnosis, and plan for the future.

The workshop also gives people the chance to meet others who have recently been given a dementia diagnosis. Representatives from local organisations will attend to provide information about support available in the local area. People recently diagnosed and their supporters can attend.

Living Well with Dementia group

For people who would like further information after the Next Steps workshop, this group is run over 10 sessions. The group offers the opportunity to learn more about dementia.

People can access advice about adjusting to life with a dementia diagnosis and explore ways to cope. The group encourages people to feel empowered to make decisions about their situation and to plan for the future.

A family member, friend or carer is invited to attend the first and last sessions of the groups. Alongside this group we also offer 2 to 3 sessions providing information, education, and advice for people supporting someone with dementia.

Support groups

People with dementia, or their carers, may require ongoing informal support. We arrange regular peer support meetings in community settings or parks. This helps people meet others in similar situations in a relaxed setting. There is also a monthly online support group for relatives and carers of people with early-onset dementia, where they can access ongoing information and useful advice. The group is open to anyone supporting someone with early-onset dementia. 

Find out more

If you would like further information or to discuss options for accessing any of these services, please speak to a Younger People with Dementia team member or call 03000 272 350.