Over 65 years:

• Admiral nurses
• Age UK
• Dementia Advice Sheffield (DAS)
• Sheffield Carers Centre
• The Alzheimer's society
• Dementia UK

Under 65 years:

• Admiral nurses
• Young Dementia Network
• Dementia UK
• Alzheimer's Research UK

In this online pack you can find a list of useful resources and links.

Herbert Protocol

Herbert Protocol is an information gathering tool used to help the police find a person living with dementia who has gone missing, as quickly as possible.

You can find more information for carers here and a link to forms here. 

Driving and dementia 

A diagnosis of dementia is not in itself a reason to stop driving, one in three people with dementia still drives. The most important thing is whether the person can still drive safely. 

Driving may feel easy and natural for people who drive often or have been driving for many years. However, it is a complex task that involves quick thinking as well as sensory (vision, hearing) and manual skills. 

You can find out more about your legal obligations after a dementia diagnosis here. There is also a booklet available here.

Attendance allowance

Attendance allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.

You can find  more information on the government website here or you can find a link to start a claim here. 

Social services

You can find social care services in Sheffield here or more information on how to apply here.

Telephone preferencing service
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is the UK’s official ‘do not call’ list. It helps stop unwanted sales and marketing calls to landlines and mobiles.

It’s free and easy to sign up. There’s also a version for businesses called the Corporate TPS.

You can find more information on their website here or you can apply service.

Mail preferencing service
The Mail Preference Service helps stop junk mail from UK companies that follow marketing rules. It also tries to block mail from other UK companies. It won’t stop overseas mail, unaddressed leaflets, or anything sent to ‘the occupier

You can find more information on the website here or you can apply here.

City wide care alarms
The emergency care alarm service allows people to get help when they are in difficulty. It helps people to remain safe, secure and independent in and around their homes.

The service provides you, family and carers reassurance that if there is a problem, help is available 24 hours a day, every day.

You can find more informaiton on the website here.

Support with meals

Frozen meal delivery once every two weeks:

• Oakhouse Foods
• Wiltshire Farm Foods

Hot meal delivery everyday:

• Park Care Meals

Making decisions

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal way for someone to choose a trusted person to make decisions for them if they can’t.

There are two types:

• Property and financial affairs LPA – for things like money, bills, and property.
• Health and welfare LPA – for care, treatment, and daily routines.

Having an LPA can make things easier for the person and their loved ones, especially as dementia progresses.

You can find more information here, view a booklet here or fill out an application here.

Council tax

You may be eligible to have a reduction or exemption of your council tax with a dementia diagnosis if you are in receipt of certain benefits. You can fill out an application here.

National Key Scheme (NKS/Radar Keys)

Across the UK, there are over 10,000 accessible toilets for disabled people in public and commercial places. This includes more than 1,000 Changing Places toilets, which have extra equipment for people with complex needs. These toilets are often locked to help prevent vandalism, misuse, or illegal activity by people who don’t need them.

You can order keys here:

• Blue badge scheme
• Amazon
• Age UK

Dementia advice Sheffield 

Our Dementia Advice Sheffield service provides a one-stop shop, the first point of contact service to respond to any non-clinical dementia-related query from a person living with dementia or their family carer. 

You can find more information on their website here. 

Community transport

We believe that everyone has the right to travel and access all the facilities and opportunities that our city has to offer. We are funded by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and have been providing Community Transport services for over 30 years.

You can find more information on their website here.

In this online pack you can find a list of useful online resources and links.

Age UK Sheffield

Alzheimer's Society useful online booklets:

• Memory handbook
• What is a mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
• Using technology to help with everyday life 

National Key Scheme (NKS/Radar Keys)

Across the UK, there are over 10,000 accessible toilets for disabled people in public and commercial places. This includes more than 1,000 Changing Places toilets, which have extra equipment for people with complex needs. These toilets are often locked to help prevent vandalism, misuse, or illegal activity by people who don’t need them.

You can order keys here:

• Blue badge scheme
• Amazon
• Age UK

Dementia advice Sheffield 

Our Dementia Advice Sheffield service provides a one-stop shop, the first point of contact service to respond to any non-clinical dementia-related query from a person living with dementia or their family carer. 

You can find more information on their website here. 

Advice at home booklet 

Relaxation techniques can help manage the symptoms of anxiety. There are various relaxation techniques you can use to calm the mind and reduce the muscle tension anxiety can cause.

If you have any medical conditions, like problems with your breathing, speak to your GP before trying any relaxation exercises.

When and how often?
You should try to set aside 30 minutes, two or three times each day to practice these techniques. The more you practice, the better you will get and the more effective they will be.

It's important to keep using these techniques, even if you don't feel better straight away. It will take time and regular practice before you start to feel the benefits.

Relaxation preparation
Before you start relaxing, make sure your mind, body and surroundings are just right. To prepare yourself:

• find a cool and quiet room where you'll not be disturbed
• lie down or sit comfortably with your legs uncrossed
• put on comfortable clothes and take off your shoes
• lightly close your eyes, or focus on a spot in front of you
• clear your thoughts and focus on your breath

Don’t worry if you can’t relax immediately. Thoughts might pop into your mind. Don’t focus on them just let them pass through.
Make a note of how relaxed you were before, and after, the exercises to see if it's helped.

Breathing to relax
Breathing too quickly, and deeply, can make you feel dizzy, faint or even more anxious. Taking slow, regular breaths can help you to control anxious thoughts and feelings, and make you feel calmer.

To control your breathing:

• Place one hand on your chest and the other over your stomach. You want your stomach to move more than your chest as you breathe
• Take a slow, regular breath in (through your nose if you can). Watch your hands as you breathe in. The hand on your stomach should move and your chest should not
• Breathe out slowly through pursed lips
• Repeat this 10 times, twice a day

It might take time to master this technique. Once you have, you won’t need to watch your hands or put them on your stomach.

Simple visualisation exercise
This exercise involves using an image as a way to focus the mind.
Create in your mind an ideal spot to relax. It can be:

• real or imaginary
• somewhere you will find restful, calming, safe and happy
• a place you would want to return to whenever you feel the need to relax

Imagine it in as much detail as you can. Use your senses to make it as real as possible, and see yourself comfortably enjoying this place. Now close your eyes and take a slow, regular breath in through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. Focus on your relaxation place in all its detail and breathe out through your mouth. Do this exercise for 10 to 20 minutes.

Quick muscle relaxation
This exercise will teach you to recognise and reduce muscle tension. You can relieve tension in any part of your body just by tensing and relaxing each muscle in turn.

Sitting in a comfortably in a chair:

• Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Slowly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth
• Make a fist, squeezing your hand tightly
• Hold this for a few seconds, noticing the tension
• Slowly open your fingers and feel the difference, notice the tension leaving. Your hand is much lighter and relaxed. enjoy this feeling
• If you have any physical injuries or conditions that may cause muscle pain, don’t tense the muscle in that area.

Cued relaxation
Once you've mastered some relaxation exercises you can use them whenever, and wherever, you need to throughout the day.
To do this you can use a 'cue', something that'll catch your eye and remind you to:

• drop your shoulders
• check your breathing
• relax the muscles in your body

An example of a 'cue' could be a small coloured dot on your watch, or a room in your home, which will act as your reminder.

After relaxation
Don’t rush to get up after relaxation exercises. Sit with your eyes closed for a few minutes to avoid the possibility of feeling dizzy. Open your eyes and make sure you feel all right before standing up.