Our charity was formed in 2012 and has grown year on year in both the numbers of the carers that it supports and those diagnosed with young onset dementia who attend appropriate weekday workshops across East and West Berkshire, helping them to live better with dementia. Since 2020 we have been running a pilot project in Surrey Heath.
Traditional support services provided for those with dementia are designed to meet the needs and expected therapeutic outcomes of older adults and subsequently, access to activities appropriate for younger adults with dementia continues to be limited locally, regionally and nationally. The YPWD model encourages carer respite throughout the working week, giving all carers the chance to take a break.
People with young onset dementia often experience a more rapid decline in cognition and quality of life at a time when they may otherwise have expected to be in employment, have an active social life or are raising a family. The same applies to partners and other family members who consequently face social isolation and carer stress. In many cases, carers have to give up work to support their partner and therefore, the ability to provide respite on a daily basis is often pivotal to keeping carers in work. Furthermore, for the person with dementia, lack of appropriate activities can result in an increase in social isolation, apathy, a decline in health and increased risk of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
Personable, caring, friendly
Following consultation with carers and people with young onset dementia, there was an identified unmet need for respite opportunities. Carers reported a reluctance to access respite because they deemed it not to be age-appropriate or meaningful for their relatives. YPWD offers respite to carers through the provision of a number of different workshops for younger people with dementia throughout the working week. A brochure of the workshops is produced every six weeks and people with dementia can access various workshops through the week, thus offering clear choice and a flexible approach to respite for carers.
