Dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of progressive disorders affecting the brain, the most common of which are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. It is more common in those over 65 years of age but can occur in younger people.

Dementia results in a progressive decline in multiple areas of function, including memory, reasoning, communication skills and the skills needed to carry out daily activities. Some people may also develop behavioural and psychological symptoms such as depression, psychosis, aggression, and eating problems, which can challenge the skills and capacity of carers and services. 

It is important to remember you are not alone, over 800,000 people in the UK have dementia.

Dementia services directory

This directory is a valuable resource which gives information on local and national dementia support services and resources. It also provides a prompt for when you start to think and talk about what matters to you to live well with dementia. It may help you to discuss and consider your wishes and plans for the future.

View the Dementia Services Directory (pdf, 5.2 MB)

Dementia prevention and risk reduction  

Evidence suggests that:

• A healthy diet,
• Having adequate physical activity,
• Controlling type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure,
• Stopping smoking, and
• Reducing alcohol consumption may help to reduce someone’s risk of developing dementia.

In addition, there are other things we can do throughout life to help reduce the risk of developing dementia, including being socially active and keeping your brain active too. The earlier in life that healthy changes are made, the greater the likelihood of reducing the risk of dementia, disability, and frailty. 

View what you can do to lower your risk of developing dementia in the future.

Dementia Friendly Communities

Age UK Richmond coordinates the activities of Dementia Friendly Communities in the borough in partnership with Richmond Council. Age UK intends to work with people living with dementia, organisations and businesses to achieve the aims of The Dementia Friendly Communities programme.

We are encouraging people affected by dementia or organisations and businesses who are keen to become more dementia friendly to sign up to the Dementia Friendly initiative.

To sign up contact Sara Wilcox at sara.wilcox@ageukrichmond.org.uk or 0203 816 0020.

Further information can be found at Age UK Richmond.

Woodville Day Centre

Woodville Centre is a council run specialist day centre for adults aged 60 plus who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe dementia.

We provide care in a safe, secure and relaxing environment. We focus on sensory stimulation and combine services to help individuals stay independent as possible for as long as possible. CarePlace has more information about the Woodville Day Centre. 

Dementia strategic plan 

A joint dementia strategic plan developed between the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Council and Richmond CCG was published in 2016. It described five key strategic objectives to improve dementia prevention and care in the borough (preventing well, diagnosing well, living well, supporting well, dying well). It also sets out how health and social care services for people with dementia and their carers would develop over the next five years. 

View dementia strategic plan (pdf, 632 KB). This is currently being reviewed for 2022-2027.

Richmond Dementia COVID-19 report

This report outlines emerging local learning and makes recommendations about improvements to meet the changing landscape across prevention, diagnosis, and care of dementia in the context of COVID-19.

View Richmond Dementia COVID-19 report (pdf, 13.6 MB)

Further information

More information on dementia and dementia services is available on our Careplace directory.

Find Social Care services