Support services for older people living with dementia and memory problems

Devon County Council commissioned Age UK Devon to consult on the support services available to older people with dementia and memory loss and their carers. The consultation aimed to increase understanding about which services older people had accessed, which they had found helpful, and whether there were any problematic gaps in service provision.

To make the engagement process as client-centred and adaptable as possible, we used a range of approaches to gather feedback, depending on what worked best for each group and individual, e.g., focus groups, one-to-one interviews (face-to-face/phone calls) and written surveys.

We approached carer support groups, memory cafes and community activities and services to engage with:

• Older people with a diagnosis of dementia.
• Older people waiting for a diagnosis.
• Older people with memory problems who had not been disagnosed with dementia.
• Carers and familty members.
• Professionals/stakeholders.

The full report can be read here.