Extra outside financial help coming for dementia carers in Greenwich

More than 300 carers who provide support to a loved one living with dementia in Greenwich will get specialist support and advice, thanks to a grant from the London Freemasons to the Greenwich Carers charity.

The £50,000 grant will fund a dedicated post that operates from Greenwich Carers Centre to provide specialist support to unpaid carers of people with dementia.

This will include setting-up up dementia-focused peer support groups that reduce isolation and connect carers with other carers facing similar challenges within their roles.

Caring for someone living with dementia can be challenging, isolating and life-consuming. Greenwich Carers Centre aims to ease the pressure on carers and reduce their aloneness and isolation.

Importantly, the project will connect with many of the other services and opportunities provided by the Greenwich Carers Centre to build social networks and encourage the take-up of much-needed support.

The project will provide 80 specialist information, advice and guidance sessions for the borough’s community of dementia carers, engage them with the charity’s ‘Keep-in-Touch’ telephone mentoring service to ensure they are never entirely alone and link them with an entire range of activity groups.

Along with the support network, the project is all about engaging dementia carers with practical and often life-changing support too. Increasing income through help with benefits, applying for blue badge parking permits and navigating the way through complex forms and being directly referred into other services a carer may need.

The grant from London Freemasons comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.

Stu Tattersall, chief executive of the Greenwich Carers Centre said: “We’re very grateful to London Freemasons for their generous grant which means we can provide the specialist support that carers of loved ones with dementia really need.

“The quality of our general support is excellent, but this grant enables us to really build on our existing work and provide dedicated dementia support that improves the lives of unpaid carers.”

Paul King from London Freemasons, said: “I’m really pleased we’ve been able to help Greenwich Carers look after those who care for people with dementia. Making their lives just a little easier is of enormous importance.”

Pictured top: Greenwich Carers chief executive Stu Tattersall (right) and a volunteer discusses their work with Omaid Hiwaizi from the London Freemasons (Picture: Greenwich Carers)