Resources

Useful Websites

Cornwall Memory Café Network: CMCN’s new website was launched in January 2023 and is our ‘one-stop-shop’ for everything memory café-related—for volunteers and those who use the café https://www.cornwallmemorycafes.co.uk

Our Cornwall Memory Café Wayfinder is Anna Lempriere 

NB As of August 2024 Anna will be working along side local Dementia Practioner Nurses supporting people with a dementia diagnosis. Café Volunteers can still refer members/carers to her but cannot give out her contact details to members or their carers. She will still visit our café regularly and speak to those with or without a dementia diagnosis. 

Alzheimer’s Society: the UK’s leading dementia charity. They campaign for change, fund research and support people living with dementia https://www.alzheimer.org.uk     

Our local Alzheimer's Society Dementia Support workers are Sue and Caitlin. For more information: email- cornwall@alzheimers.org.uk or phone- 01872 277963

Dementia UK: Provide nationwide support and information, including Admiral Nurses. Specialist support to families facing dementia | Dementia UK

Memory Matters: Based in Plymouth and runs sessions in Newquay, Wadebridge, Liskeard & St Austell. They also offer training.  Memory Matters | Empowering people to live well with dementia

The Sensory Trust: a national charity which aims to make outdoor spaces accessible to everyone, regardless of age, disability or social circumstance. As part of this, they run flagship project Creative Spaces which supports people living with dementia, their carers and intergenerational groups to connect with nature. This includes running 8 dementia-friendly nature-based groups across Cornwall. https://www.sensorytrust.org.uk  

Healthwatch Cornwall: is the county’s local health and social care champion. If you use GPs, hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, care homes or other support services they want to hear about your experiences. They are independent and have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to local feedback and improve standards of care. They are entirely independent and impartial, and anything you share with them is confidential. It’s really important that you share your experiences – whether good or bad, happy or sad. If you’ve had a negative experience, it’s easy to think there’s no point in complaining, and that ‘nothing ever changes’. Or, if you’ve had a great experience, that you ‘wish you could say thank you’. Remember, your feedback is helping to improve people’s lives. So, if you need advice, or you’re ready to tell your story contact Healthwatch Cornwall: https://www.healthwatchcornwall.co.uk  

Purple Angels mp3 Players: This charity provides bespoke mp3 players for people with dementia. You can request a playlist of up to 15 of your favourite pieces of music—pop, standards, folk, classical, opera—even David Suchet reading the Bible. This service is free but donations are welcomed.  MP3 – Purple Angels Global (purpleangel-global.com)  

Tiers 1 and 2 Dementia Training: Provided by Health Education England and open to anyone working/volunteering/caring/living with dementia. Training days can be accessed online or attended face to face. After registration it is recommended participants do three e-learning modules before the training day. To register an interest in training days: https://www.kernowhealthcic.org.uk/tbccourses/tier-2-dementia-training/

Activities and arts projects

  Alzheimer's UK: Five craft-based activities that can be done at home or in with a group. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/5-creative-activities-help-people-living-dementia

 Equal Arts is based in Gateshead. The website has useful activities resources  https://www.equalarts.org.uk/ 

The Daily Caring website has useful creative ideas for projects to do at home or in a group.https://dailycaring.com/the-benefits-of-art-therapy-for-dementia/ 

The Daily Sparkle is a downloadable daily or weekly newspaper created for people with memory loss and their carers. Its focus is stimulating memory through historic news items, quizzes and puzzles. It also has a comprehensive library of activities for doing at home or in a group.  https://www.dailysparkle.co.uk/ 

Arts in Care Homes has ideas for creative activities aimed at care homes but can be adapted for using at home or other group settings. https://artsincarehomes.org.uk/category/52-weekly-activities/ 

icareimove delivers exercise and wellbeing programmes to those with chronic health conditions, primarily to the frail and elderly and their carers throughout the county of Cornwall. They believe that everyone is entitled to move and feel better and that their fun, energising, inspiring, safe programs help those in our community to improve quality of life throughout their whole life. https://www.icareimove.com   

Cascade Theatre specialises in working with older people and those with memory loss or dementia. They deliver reminiscence training, teaching ‘attitudes’, skills and techniques to those involved in caring for the elderly. Reminiscence now forms part of a spectrum of their Older People Programme which also includes performance, music and art. https://www.cascadetheatre.co.uk  

Purple Angel provides insights about living with dementia. https://www.purpleangel.org.uk 

Dementia Articles and News

Neurologist Jonathan Schott writes about new drug therapies being trialled in the US that remove beta amyloid from brain cells. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/30/alzheimers-drug-lecanemab-trials-nhs

Novelist Nikki Gerrard considers dementia and how it affects creativity.   https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jul/19/dementia-and-the-arts-fiction-films-drama-poetry-painting 

Clinical psychologist Gaynor Parkin and research assistant Erika Clarry write about caring for a partner with dementia.  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/13/caring-for-a-partner-with-dementia-takes-a-heavy-toll-try-holding-on-to-the-moments-of-joy