Pictured above: Kelly Davis speaks to a caller on the
Birmingham and Solihull Alzheimer's Society's new
helpline.
The Alzheimer's Society's Birmingham and Solihull branch has
launched a new helpline with the support of Deloitte.
The helpline will offer advice to those living with dementia as
well as those who care for them.
It will enable anyone who lives in the area to get information
and advice on how to cope with the condition.
Deloitte's Birmingham office has raised more than £10,000
for the charity so far this year, which has gone towards the cost
of setting up the new helpline.
There are more than 400,000 people in the UK who have a form of
dementia and it affects one in 50 people between the ages of 65 and
70.
Carers and people with dementia who were invited to the launch,
which was held at the Post Office Building on Alcester Road in
Moseley, had the opportunity to meet the helpline staff and find
out about how the helpline can offer support.
The guests were also able to give the staff an idea of the sorts
of questions they may be asked and the information callers will
find most useful.
Gerardine Sykes from the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This
helpline is very much being developed to focus on providing local
information.
"We can tell people what services they can access in their
postcode area, where they can find a local lunch club or coffee
morning and which ones are for carers and which ones a person with
dementia could attend and whether these services are on a bus
route.
"The Helpline is also there for some carers who may just want to
talk to someone if their day has been particularly difficult and
they need emotional support."
Richard Edwards, practice senior partner for Deloitte in the
Midlands, said: "The Alzheimer's Society provides an essential
service and we're really pleased to see the money we have raised
going to such good use.
"This Helpline has the potential to make life just a little bit
easier for people living with dementia and we hope that callers
find it useful."
Anybody who requires further information about Alzheimer's and
dementia can call the helpline between 9am and 12.30pm and 1pm and
4pm on 0121 442 6565.