Age UK Tunbridge Wells

Our Dementia Outreach Support Service is designed to support those clients living with Dementia by offering stimulating activities on a one-to-one basis with a support worker.

What is the service?

We offer 2 hours of stimulating activities for the person living with Dementia, this will be on a one-one basis, all activities will be of an enjoyable and nature, they could be relevant to the person or something new that they haven’t tried before. The Support worker may even be able to support the client living with Dementia to go out on walks to the local park or a garden centre. The Outreach service does have the added benefit of offering some respite to the caregiver.

Services we do not cover

We do not offer personal care services, meal preparation, prompting or taking of medication. However, if your needs are beyond what we can provide, we will be able to assist you in finding the right support through our information and advice service.

Are your staff DBS checked?

All our staff are rigorously vetted including checks via the Disclosure and Barring Service and the Protection of Vulnerable Adults Register. They all receive comprehensive training and are regularly reviewed and monitored to ensure a consistently high quality of service.

Pricing

The Dementia Outreach Support Service is currently charged at £48 (for the minimum 2 hours, including resources).

Contact:

Email: info@ageuktw.org.uk
Telephone: 01892 522591

Dementia and me is a service to help enrich the lives of people living with Dementia. We are running a number of free Memory Cafes in and around Tunbridge Wells to offer a safe and calm environment to meet others living with dementia, share experiences, get information and advice, as well as to help you get out of the house and socialise.

We will also be offering peer support groups to offer ongoing support, support for those with a new diagnosis of Dementia, support for family and carers and support for those with young onset Dementia.

Who can join?

The memory cafes are open to anybody who has an interest in dementia – whether you are personally living with dementia, a carer or family member, or even just wanting to find out more. There will be dementia-friendly & reminiscence activities available as well as information & advice and signposting.

Refreshments will be supplied free of charge.

Please note: If you need personal or physical support, please come to the events with a carer or family member.

When and where do the classes take place?

These cafes will take place in and around Tunbridge Wells as follows:

Chamberlain Court, TUNBRIDGE WELLS (77 Mount Ephraim, TN4 8BS).
Every 3rd Thursday of the month, 10:45 – 12:45.

Evernden House, CRANBROOK (Rope Walk, TN17 3ET). Every 2nd
Wednesday of the month 10:30 – 12:30, starting 12th July 2023.

Emerald Walk, SHERWOOD, Tunbridge Wells (off of Greggs Wood Road,
TN2 3FA). Every 2nd Friday of the month 12:00 – 14:00– starting 13th
October 2023.

Please note: veggie soup and a roll are available as a light lunch at our Sherwood
Memory Café – please advise of any specific dietary requirements in advance.

Pricing

This is a free service.

Contact:

Email: info@ageuktw.org.uk
Telephone: 01892 522591

Digital exclusion is an issue for many older people. Being able to get competitive utility deals, Zoom loved ones, bid for more suitable social housing or simply find out about what’s going on in our area is something many of us take for granted.

At Age UK Tunbridge Wells, we know that teaching anything to anyone is always much more successful when there is a relationship and trust between trainer and trainee. We also know that it takes more than one or two isolated sessions to really embed a new skill.

So to help you get online, we have combined our Befriending Project with our Digital Inclusion work to create a new programme of remote support.

We hope this service will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to get online!

What is a Digital Buddy?

A digital buddy is a trained/ DBS checked volunteer who clients can be paired with in order to help them with their digital needs – whether that be shopping online, accessing information and entertainment in your local area, listening to music or connecting with people via digital means such as email & zoom.

Can I choose what I get help with?

Once you are set up with your digital buddy you can discuss what areas you would like help with, making the service completely bespoke to your needs.

How much time do I get with my Digital Buddy?

1 hour per week. This can be increased/ decreased depending on your needs.

Pricing

This service is currently free of charge.

Contact:

Email: info@ageuktw.org.uk
Telephone: 01892 522591

Over 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia – that’s one in six people over 80.

What is Cognitive Stimulation Therapy/ CST?

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, or CST for short, is a specific programme of group activity and stimulation suitable for use with people who are living with dementia or experiencing memory loss. Through the programme, we aim to slow the progression of dementia and improve the quality of your life, enhance your ability to communicate and help boost your mood.

What can I expect if I join a CST group?

These are courses in which group members take part in a different activity each week, specially designed to stimulate cognitive function.

The groups are small (up to eight participants), and very informal. Each session begins with a coffee, a chat, and a chance for group members to get to know each other. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the idea is to have fun and get to know the other group members, as well as benefit from the activities. After that, we will start an activity which is designed to stimulate different areas of the brain each week. These activities are geared to what you, as an individual, feel comfortable doing.

The activities we do have been designed by specialist neuropsychologists for people in the early stages of dementia. Each activity is aimed at stimulating one specific area of the brain. They are not complex, and might include word or number games, reminiscence, discussion, quizzes, and puzzles. The emphasis is on laughter, enjoyment and inclusion. In recent weeks we’ve played Musical Bingo, made chocolate spread out of mashed potato, debated the positives and negatives of modern art, and sung ‘If I Had A Hammer’ with percussion backing…

What can I expect if I join a Maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (MCST) group?

MCST follows on from the CST course and is suitable for people who have completed CST and would like to carry on with the weekly sessions.

The Maintenance sessions follow similar themes to the CST sessions, with some new themes added, but it aims to use different materials where possible, to avoid repetition. The structure of the sessions is the same as CST, however, so it will feel familiar to you.

Upcoming sessions

Initially, we encourage people to join in a trial session (by appointment). You can join in at any stage during the course and you can attend as many sessions as you like.

Sessions take place on Tuesdays in the morning (11.00 – 12.30) and afternoon (2.00 – 3.30). They will be of greatest benefit to those who have a relatively recent diagnosis of dementia.

Feedback

‘…Thank you so much….my husband benefits a great deal and always look forward to attending the group..’

‘The highlight of my week…’

‘I know Mum really loves it….’

‘Thank you for all the care and consideration you showed…it really is an invaluable service.’

Pricing

This service is currently free of charge.

Contact:

Email: info@ageuktw.org.uk
Telephone: 01892 522591

It’s estimated that one in ten people over 65 are at risk of malnutrition but in most cases, malnutrition and dehydration are largely preventable.

Our hot meal service runs 5 days a week (Monday to Friday) and has been a vital lifeline to many older people during the pandemic.

Are the meals homemade?

Yes. Each and every meal is handmade at our kitchens by our team of chefs.

Do you offer lunch and dinner?

Our meals are delivered at lunchtime. If you would like an evening meal as well, then a supper pack can also be delivered during the lunch round.

Do I have to have deliveries 5 days a week?

No, our hot meals can be delivered on whichever days you choose.

Pricing

Our hot lunch comes with a home cooked dessert and cost £11.50. An optional supper pack can be added for an extra £4.00*
*Please note, the supper pack currently cannot be ordered without the hot lunch.

Contact:

Email: info@ageuktw.org.uk
Telephone: 01892 522591