Aroundtown Magazine May June 2023 edition

FAMILY
Support for
dementia
in Barnsley
Caring for someone with dementia can be a 24-hour
job and one that often takes over any relationship
you both may have had before.
But at BIADS – Barnsley Independent
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support – their unique
support service helps people diagnosed with
dementia and their carers to reconnect with each
other through a range of life-enriching activities
and much-welcomed respite from daily life.
In Barnsley, around 3,000 people over 65
have dementia, and this figure is set to rise to
4,800 by 2030. When someone is diagnosed with
dementia, the focus is primarily on the services
they may need in place to continue living as
independently as possible.
However, there can be little to no help for their
partner or family member who often becomes
their carer. Half of carers spend more than 100
hours a week caring for someone with dementia,
and it can be overwhelming to watch their loved
ones change due to the disease.
Since launching in 2010, BIADS has become
an invaluable resource in Barnsley, providing
a lifeline that families affected by dementia
couldn’t live without. The charity’s headquarters
are on Dean Street, just off Dodworth Road,
where they offer a weekly calendar of emotional
support groups, drop-in sessions and sensorybased
activities for people with dementia and
their carers.
Last year, they also launched a new dementia
day centre at the Old Court House on Regent
Street to provide a warm, relaxing and safe space
to care for people with dementia during the week
on either a full or half day basis.
The day centre is open four days a week,
soon to be five, and service users enjoy a range
of activities to promote mental stimulation and
independence such as crafts, baking, reading
or card games. They have also recently opened
Jean’s Bar, an alcohol-free bar with a Jukebox,
piano, TV and games. The furniture and bar
were donated by Nando’s and the space
was decorated by kind volunteers from Nat
West bank.
A new multi-sensory unit is also set to
be opened at the day centre this May which
will feature a bubble wall, fibre-optic carpet,
LED projector and soothing sounds to help
distract and de-escalate service users during
overwhelming periods.
Over at Dean Street, carers can call into one
of their drop-in cafes or join the carer support
group which takes place on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. Here they can come to a comfortable
and confidential setting, without fear of being
judged, to talk to carer support workers about
any issues they may be facing. At the same time
as the carers’ groups, the people they care for
can take part in various activities in a safe and
welcoming environment.
Some carers need practical support around
issues with mobility, incontinence or work and
pensions; others come for regular social contact
that may have fallen by the wayside since
becoming a carer; and there are those who just
want to talk to people going through similar
situations to feel like they are not alone.
BIADS also has many sessions throughout
the month for people with dementia, such as the
Singers’ group, Zoom Yoga, Time for Tea group
and Walking group. Referrals are also welcomed
for their gentle exercise and dancing classes to
keep people mobile.
The BIADS team organises various social
events throughout the year as well as two UK
holidays in early summer and November for
members to enjoy some time together away
from Barnsley.
BIADS continue to advocate the importance
of improving diagnosis rates of dementia.
Memory loss is not just a sign of getting older.
There are over 100 types of dementia that can
affect people in various and unpredictable ways,
causing complex cognitive and behavioural
symptoms. An early diagnosis gives people and
their loved ones the chance to adjust to any
changes and access support that is available
from organisations like BIADS.
The need for more dementia care is set to
increase over the next ten years but less than
half of care staff have dementia specific training.
BIADS offer training packages for companies
who need to improve their awareness of living
with dementia, the impact on carers, and how to
support or communicate with service users.
To find out more about BIADS,
how to donate or volunteer,
visit their website
www.biads.org.uk
or call 01226 280 057
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