Dementia support hub opens for carers and families

The hub is open once a month for people to drop in to socialise and seek support

A care home has opened a community support centre for families of those with a dementia diagnosis.

Redlands House Care Home at Hellesdon, near Norwich, already offers residential support for people with dementia, but manager Laura Ward said she wanted to provide a "safe space" to the local community, too.

She said that while there were external charities such as Alzheimer's UK, she "still feels we could do more."

According to the NHS, there are more than 944,000 people in the UK with dementia, and that number is expected to rise.

By 2030, it is predicted that a million people will have been diagnosed.

Left to right: manager of Redlands House, Laura Ward; Norwich North MP Alice Macdonald, and chairman of Norfolk County Council, Tom Fitzpatrick

Alice Macdonald, Labour MP for Norwich North, was there to launch the "vital" hub, alongside the chairman of Norfolk County Council, Conservative Tom Fitzpatrick.

Macdonald said that while there was "lots" of great provision across the constituency, "there is always a need for more".

"It can be hard to get the diagnosis and you need to know where to go for continued support, for both the person living with dementia and the families," she said.

The hub is open on the third Wednesday of every month for people to socialise, seek advice and to be signposted to additional help.