SUPPORT for people with dementia in Helensburgh and Lomond has been strengthened after a leading charity announced a new online platform for patients and carers.
Alzheimer Scotland, which last week celebrated its 40th year, will launch the pioneering virtual resource centre to provide a digital lifeline for people with the disease, as well as those looking after them.
The charity’s 21 physical resource centres, including its West Princes Street facility, remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic, with weekly meetings and activities being held online since March.
The first of its kind in the UK, the virtual resource centre will bring all of the charity’s resources and expertise online, making them permanently accessible to people living with dementia, as well as carers and relatives.
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A digital alternative to the charity’s current bricks and mortar dementia resource centres, the online hub will provide a vital means of support to those who may be unable to travel, either due to distance, mobility or the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
Whilst the project has been on the radar for many months, Alzheimer Scotland deliberately accelerated the development of the virtual resource centre due to coronavirus, as a means to provide people living with dementia easy access to the help they need.
Alzheimer Scotland chief executive, Henry Simmons, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had an extreme impact on people living with dementia, as well as carers and loved ones, and we have reacted quickly to find new ways of supporting people.
“It is clear that there is urgent need and demand for a digital resource which can be accessed quickly and easily now and in the future.
“Our virtual resource centre is a pivotal step forward in making our support accessible to a broader section of the population while simultaneously future-proofing our services.”
The virtual resource centre is currently under construction and Alzheimer Scotland is calling on the public to back the rest of the build by supporting the ‘virtual brick appeal’, urging people to buy a virtual brick and help raise the vital funds required for the completion of the digital centre, one brick at a time.
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As part of their 40th year celebrations, the charity is also launching three new digital innovations, including their very own app, the redesign of their Purple Alert app, which helps to find people with dementia if they go missing, and a new service called ADAM (About Digital and Me) which will assist people to identify the technologies that will help them to live well at home and stay connected.
Last week, people in Helensburgh helped raise more than £1,400 for the local Alzheimer Scotland team by taking part in a memory walk.
Anne-Marie King, dementia advisor in Helensburgh, said: “The staff of the Helensburgh Dementia Resource Centre would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the memory walk, either by doing their own walk or by making a donation.
“We are excited to mark 40 years of Alzheimer Scotland. As well as being a time to look back on what the charity has done over the years, we are also looking forwards with the launch of three new digital products.
“These products will be a practical help and make a positive difference to the lives of people who are living with dementia.”
For more information visit alzscot.org. If you would like to speak to someone about dementia or find out more about the local support available, contact Anne-Marie on 07588531288 or call the 24-hour freephone dementia helpline on 0808 808 3000.
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