Link to Alzheimer's Society website for useful advice and information sheets
Link to the Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly website - Advancing the health and wellbeing of older people
serving Westbury and the surrounding villages
CARERS SUPPORT GROUPS 
Our Carers Support Groups offer opportunities for Carers to meet together on a regular basis and provide a range of functions, including education, training, mutual support and social activities. They can also act as a pressure group to influence local services.
Not all attendees will be current Carers. Many Carers continue to gain benefit from coming to a support group, particularly in the early stages after the person they have been caring for has died or perhaps gone into full time care. At this crucial time statutory support ceases, resulting in the withdrawal of individuals who may well have been providing important emotional support. When this happens it can exacerbate feelings of guilt, loneliness and loss and can cause isolation and depression – this is where a support group can really play a part.
Groups are not for everyone, however, we recognise that some people would prefer to do something entirely unconnected with dementia during any valuable free time and with this in mind our Care Managers are committed to providing you with individual support when needed.
We periodically run training courses for Carers. These courses run over 2 days and offer a session on each of the following:
What is
dementia?
Safe
moving & handling
Understanding the world of the person with dementia
Coping
with and understanding difficult behaviour
Who is
there to support you?
Financial
& legal aspects of caring
Loss &
bereavement
ADVOCACY
Another service we are occasionally asked to provide is that of acting as an Advocate. This means we may be asked by you or by other support services to accompany you to give you confidence or speak on your behalf with other health care or legal professionals during meetings where important future decision about care are being made. We are happy to help where appropriate.