Dementia: support

Someone to speak to

A friendly face

A friendly face

For anyone affected by dementia, who wants to talk to someone living with dementia.

A Friendly Face is administered by Bangor University and run by volunteers with a diagnosis of dementia. Details of individuals living with dementia and their contact numbers are listed on the website. Please feel free to call anytime for a chat. If there is no answer, just leave a message and they will get back to you, or you can ring one of the other numbers.

Website: Bangor University: A friendly face (external website)

Email: friendlyfacewales@gmail.com

TIDE - Together In Dementia Everyday

TIDE - Together In Dementia Everyday

A UK wide involvement network of carers of people with dementia.

Website: TIDE - Together In Dementia Everyday (external website)

Phone: 0151 237 2669

Emailcarers@tide.uk.net

Wales Dementia Helpline

Wales Dementia Helpline

The helpline offers emotional support to anyone, of any age, who is caring for someone with dementia as well as other family members or friends.

The service will also help and support those who have been diagnosed with dementia.

Website: Wales Dementia Helpline (external website)

Phone: 0808 808 2235

Council Services

Assisted bin collection

Assisted bin collection

If you are elderly or have a disability or medical condition and find it difficult to take your bins / recycling to the kerbside, you can apply for help (referred to as an assisted collection). Our crew can collect the bins and containers from an agreed location on your property, empty them and return them to the same point.

These collections are only available to residents in genuine need where there is no able-bodied person living at the address who could present the bins or containers at the kerbside for collection. You can apply for an assisted collection online or you can call 01824 706000.

Community Arts (Denbighshire Leisure Ltd.)

Community Arts (Denbighshire Leisure Ltd.)

Denbighshire Leisure Ltd. (DLL) is a Local Authority Trading Company that manages and delivers leisure, sports and arts & cultural activities for the benefit of residents and visitors to the county.

The Community Arts service within DLL aims to provide opportunities for everyone to participate in the arts regardless of experience, age or background and is designed to support the priorities as set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The artistic team deliver multi-disciplinary community arts projects across the county, collaborating with a range of partners from the public, third and voluntary sectors. The service has a track record of delivering award winning work of the highest quality - artist and participant led.

For further information:

The importance of the arts for the benefit of health and wellbeing is fast becoming widely accepted as reported in Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing.

We in Denbighshire Leisure Community Arts run a programme of Arts in Health activity in partnership with local authority services such as Social Services, Housing and Youth Services, public organisations such as Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and third sector organisations and charities such as Mind, St.Kentigern’s Hospice, Stroke Association and Canolfan Ni in Corwen.

Did you know?

  • Attending an arts event at least once a month during life’s later years reduces the risk of depression by 50%
  • Visiting a gallery or museum every few months reduces your risk of developing dementia by up to 44% – and the benefit lasts for up to 10 years after you stop.

Lost in Art

Denbighshire Leisure Community Arts was the only delivery partner in Wales of the important research project Dementia and Imagination (external website).

Following on from this research project the team have continued to develop our work with people living with dementia with Lost in Art which won The Hearts for the Arts Award for Best Local Authority Arts Project Encouraging Community Cohesion in 2018.

Lost in Art is a project aimed at people living with dementia, along with their family members and carers. The aim of the project is to explore the role of the visual arts in addressing issues which can affect people with dementia, including social isolation, confidence, communication and quality of life and wellbeing. The project was developed with the support of the Dementia Services Development Centre at Bangor University.

The award-winning Lost in Art project takes place at Ruthin Craft Centre every Tuesday afternoon, 1pm to 3pm. Led by professional artist Sian Hughes, the weekly workshops include a cup of tea and a chat, a visit to the current exhibitions in the galleries and creative work inspired by the items on display in the galleries.

Lost in Art takes place during term time and there are three 11-week projects each year.

Craft boxes and movement CDs / DVDs are still available for home delivery for those who cannot get to Ruthin.

For more information, or to arrange a taster visit, please contact Jo McGregor at jo.mcgregor@denbighshireleisure.co.uk or phone 07799 582766.

Council tax reductions

Council tax reductions

Council Tax discounts can be awarded for those taxpayers living with dementia. The Martin Lewis Money Team have also been commissioned to draft a standard application form that has now been adopted by the 22 Local Authorities across Wales. This has led to an increase in the number of enquiries and we're pleased to say an increase in the number in applications being awarded.

To find out if you’re eligible, please contact us by email at revenues@denbighshire.gov.uk, or if urgent, please call 01824 706000.

Denbighshire Libraries: Memory Bags

Denbighshire Libraries: Memory Bags

Our memory bags contain a collection of books, poems, artefacts and smells that are designed to stimulate the senses and promote reminiscence and discussion.

The Memory Bags also include a 'Creative Wellbeing Activity Toolkit' that contains ideas for creative activities for people living with dementia, their families and carers.

The bags can be borrowed on a library card, just like a book, and can be kept for 3 weeks. There are 8 different themes to choose from:

  • at the seaside
  • childhood days
  • in the garden
  • memories of music
  • shopping
  • world of work
  • travelling
  • leisure time

The different bags can be reserved and sent to your local library free of charge.

The Memory Bags have been created by Denbighshire Libraries in partnership with Life Story Network CIC and Denbighshire Leisure Ltd and funded by the Dementia Aware Community Led Grant Programme 2019/20.

Working Denbighshire

Working Denbighshire

The Working Denbighshire team is enabling a new approach to developing and building resilient communities in Denbighshire with a sharpened focus on tackling poverty by coordinating support that helps people into work, removes barriers into work, gives children the best start in life and ensures that the citizens of Denbighshire are central to the design of services.

Our DEN Job partnership page (external website) has access to jobs, courses, events and more. You can refer yourself or someone else to our service.

Other public and nationwide bodies and organisations 

BAME Communities

BAME Communities

Help and advice offered specifically for people from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic communities.

Citizens Advice Denbighshire

Citizens Advice Denbighshire

An independent charity and part of the Citizens Advice network across England and Wales providing free, confidential and impartial advice. Their goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face. If you have money, benefits, housing or employment problems contact Citizens Advice Denbighshire whether facing a crisis, or just considering your options. Contact them by phone on 0300 3302 124 or find your local Citizens Advice office (external website).

Dementia Carers Count

Dementia Carers Count

Dementia Carers Count are offering training about carers rights and welfare benefits:

Virtual Carers Centre: live, online learning (external website)

Dewis Cymru

Dewis Cymru

Dewis Cymru (external website) is a website that has been developed to help people find information about organisations and services that can help them take control of their own wellbeing. It’s got information that can help you think about what matters to you, and it’s also got information about people and services in your area that can help you with the things that matter to you.

Music for dementia

Music for dementia

Music can be a great connector that brings people together. It can enliven, stimulate and enble people living with dementia to engage with others. Music can also help reduce some of the anxiety or agitation that can be associated with dementia.

M4D Radio (external website) is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and has music from different eras that you can select.

Older People’s Commissioner for Wales

Older People’s Commissioner for Wales

The Older People’s Commissioner wants Wales to be the best place in the world to grow older. The Commissioner:

  • promotes awareness of the rights and interests of older people in Wales
  • challenges discrimination against older people in Wales
  • encourages best practice in the treatment of older people in Wales
  • reviews the law affecting the interests of older people in Wales

The Commissioner’s Casework Team can provide direct bilingual support to older people:

  • putting you in touch with organisations best placed to resolve your issue.
  • intervening directly if you have been experiencing difficulties with a public service provider that you cannot resolve locally.
  • supporting you to make a formal complaint and monitor how it is dealt with.

Contact by phone on 03442 640 670 or 029 2044 5030 or email ask@olderpeoplewales.com

Older People's Commissioner for Wales (external website)

Which? 'Later Life Care'

Which? 'Later Life Care'

Free, independent and practical guidance about making care choices across the UK:

Which?: later life care advice guides (external website)