People with dementia and carers are enabled to access and connect to Social Prescribing offers and/or community based support.

Social prescribing is a way for local agencies to refer people to a link worker. Link workers give people time, focusing on ‘what matters to them’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. They connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support, link workers also support existing community groups to be accessible and sustainable, and help people to start new groups, working collaboratively with all local partners.
Social prescribing is used where people can live better by improving social and environmental aspects of their lives. For example, social prescriptions might encourage people to live better by being active in their local community by volunteering, befriending or doing activities provided by community organisations.

For extra information, evidence and best practice please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Regional offerings

Dementia Wellbeing Plan for Greater Manchester; Dementia United

The Greater Manchester dementia wellbeing plan promotes personalised planning conversations with people living with dementia and carers about their needs and wants. The plan ensures an improved standard of care planning for people living with dementia and also facilitates sharing across the system. It will be available as a standardised plan which can be accessed and shared digitally between practitioners; as well as being available from the website for people affected by dementia to be using when having person centred care plan reviews
Weblink: https://dementia-united.org.uk/dementia-wellbeing-plan/

Greater Sport and Greater Manchester Moving

GreaterSport is a Greater Manchester charity with a clear purpose to Change Lives Together through movement, physical activity and sport. We lead, support and connect people and partners across the system to develop and deliver on the whole system vision and approach to GM Moving in Action.
Weblinks:
https://www.gmmoving.co.uk/key-partners/greatersport/about-us
https://www.gmactive.co.uk/

Dementia Awareness Community training package

A dementia diagnosis can bring with it many changes and challenges. But arguably one of the hardest challenges is the isolation that can come with loss of confidence and difficulties accessing community resources; whether that’s accessing a leisure centre for a morning swim, visiting a local art group, or having a nice meal out.

There is growing evidence to suggest that art, music and leisure activities can offer physical and psychological benefits to those living with a dementia and their care partners, benefits which can improve their brain health and help them maintain independence for longer: (https://arts4dementia.org.uk/sp/).

This is why Trafford and Wigan councils have come together with Dementia United and GreaterSport to fund an exciting piece of work which will empower community groups, businesses and leisure providers to support people living with cognitive impairment and dementia in their communities.

Working in partnership, Made by Mortals and Together Dementia Support have developed an immersive training experience co-produced and shaped by people living with dementia and their care partners.

The complete training package can be accessed here: www.madebymortals.org/dementia-resource/. This resource includes an immersive audio experience and PDF training materials. Dementia United are currently seeking expressions of interest from localities who would like to work with us to coordinate a train the trainer package for their communities, this will include a 3 to 4-hour workshop hosted by instructors with significant training and dementia experience and individuals who have lived experience of dementia.

IDoService

The IDoService project aims to develop a service for people living with mild to moderate dementia. The service will help them to continue to be part of society. You can find more information here: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/research/research-centres/msarc/projects/idoservice

National offerings

Age UK

Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. Providing advice, support, information, fundraising, local services
Telephone: Advice line 0800 678 1602 free to call 8am - 7pm 365 days of the year
Weblink: https://www.ageuk.org.uk

Arts 4 Dementia

Art 4 Dementia is a charity with a website has resources, training, art programmes that are dementia friendly and much more. Their aim is to help preserve a fulfilling active life for longer for the person living with dementia.
Weblink: https://arts4dementia.org.uk/

Music for Dementia

Music for Dementia is a national campaign to make music an integral part of dementia care in the UK. They work with more than 200 charities and organisations. The website has resources, links, guidance for health and care staff. They have advice and guidance for people living with dementia in all settings e.g. at home, in a care home.
Weblink: https://musicfordementia.org.uk/

Personal Health Budgets

A personal health budget is an amount of money to support someone’s health and wellbeing needs, which is planned and agreed between the individual or their representative, and the local clinical commissioning group (CCG). It isn’t new money, but a different way of spending health funding to meet the needs of an individual. A personal health budget is a way of personalising care, based around what matters to people and their strengths and needs.
Weblinks: https://www.england.nhs.uk/personal-health-budgets/what-are-personal-health-budgets-phbs/

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Personal Independence Payment helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64.
Telephone: 0800 917 2222
Text phone: 0800 917 7777
Weblink: https://www.gov.uk/pip

Healthwatch

Healthwatch is your health and social care champion. If you use GPs and hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, care homes or other support services, we want to hear about your experiences. As an independent statutory body, we have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to your feedback and improve standards of care. Last year we helped nearly a million people like you to have your say and get the information and advice you need.
Telephone: Call: 03000 683 000 between the hours of 08:30 – 17:30 Monday to Friday
Email: enquiries@healthwatch.co.uk
Weblink: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/your-local-healthwatch/list

Intergenerational Music Making (IMM)

IMM (Intergenerational Music Making) is a national not-for-profit organisation which delivers programmes, training, and campaigning & research to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of the old and the young in communities across the UK, through the power of music.

We work closely with care homes, schools, hospitals, and musicians and creatives, sharing our expertise to deliver and embed a culture of intergenerational practice.

Intergenerational music is all encompassing working with individuals and groups across our communities focussing on bridging the gaps between generations, supporting those living with dementia and their carers. Our work aims to tackle health inequalities and create new spaces where voices can be heard. acknowledged and celebrated. Through music making, song writing, choral singing, art, movement and so much more, we work to provide spaces for people to share their stories, make new connections and adopt creative, accessible ways to support health and wellbeing.

Website: www.imm-music.com

Email: info@imm-music.com or chris@togetherwithmusic.org.uk

Evidence

Social prescribing has been found to benefit people affected by dementia and services.

Example of Dementia Companions in Shropshire
Example of Primary Care Navigators in Gateshead
- NHS England: Improving dementia care through care navigation and social prescribing. It was noted that there was a lot of variation in outcomes for people with dementia nationally. In Gateshead, the Primary Care Navigator role in a GP practice connected people with dementia and carers to services and activities to help with well-being. This led to measurable benefits in a short period including reduced hospital admissions and improved patient experience.
A survey in 2018 by the Royal College of GPs (General Practitioners) found that 59% of GPs believe social prescribing not only helped patients, but also reduced their workload by an average of 28%, and called for its use more widely.

You can find more information here

Best Practice Resources

Delivering Universal Personalised Care to 2.5 million people by 2024 is a key aspect of the NHS Long Term Plan published in 2019.

Supporting people to make informed decisions and choose to do what matters to them for their health and well-being, is becoming business as usual.
Measuring patient and carer experiences, of services and in the community, is more important than ever before.

Resources: Music: Dementia and Social Prescribing – Music for Dementia
A.R.T.S (Activities to Revitalise The Soul):
Exercise: The Neuroprotective Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Decline:
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI): The role of social prescribing for people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment