HDCF has been providing respite care to over 35 family carers on a weekly basis, enabling the person with dementia to be taken out or to do a structured activity in the safety of their own home, therefore enabling the family carer to take a break.  

Since the onset of COVID-19 their respite care service has continued but it’s not been possible for the person who has dementia to go out, as they are unable to understand or remember the social distancing rules so it has meant looking at structured activities in the home or garden.  This respite care time has then enabled the family carers to go out to take their daily exercise, catch up with friends by telephone or just have a rest. 

In addition they are also providing telephone support – all family carers are contacted every week providing the opportunity to discuss how they are coping during this pandemic. In addition, a couple of their trustees have been baking and delivering boxes of cakes to the families they support, including a newsletter keeping them informed about how the services have been adapted and how the organisation can help them.  These important services enable the family carers to continue supporting their loved ones at home, thus often preventing early admission into residential care or hospital. 

The recent grant money has enabled the team at HDCF to maintain and increase their current service by enabling the ability to offer extra visits to support the family carers who are caring 24 hours a day – this is vital for the carers wellbeing too.