Finding help to cope with dementia

One of the main conditions that Technology Enabled Care is an ideal solution to help with is dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases.

Almost all of us, either professionally or personally, will have knowledge of dementia, the impact it has and the struggles people face. But the breadth of technology, from everyday simple gadgets that can be found on the high street through to GPS locating devices linked to smartphones, is ever-growing.

While daily routine can become a struggle, those with dementia are usually adamant they wish to remain in their own homes and communities. Technology can play a key role in supporting that objective, helping individuals and their carers and providing vital support in times of ever tightening budgets. The biggest challenge is finding the right information and advice on where to find such technology, learning about what has worked for others and building the confidence to feel that informed decisions can be made.

TSA and our member organisations provide simple messages about the outcomes that can be achieved, the range of solutions that can make a difference and where they can be found.

Dementia: Online Resources

Around 850,000 people in the UK live with dementia. That figure is forecast to reach 2 million by 2051. Many TSA members provide Technology Enabled Care services (TECS) to support people with dementia, their carers and families. They can also provide useful advice about how cost-effective TEC can make a difference.

There are plenty of good online resources. Here are some of them.