Dementia Awareness

Islington is recognised by Alzheimer’s Society as a community working towards becoming Dementia friendly.

In February 2023, Islington’s Ecology Centre at Gillespie Park was recognised as a Dementia Friendly venue. They collaborate closely with Age UK Islington to deliver events aimed at helping improve the lives of people with Dementia.

Around 1,500 people in Islington live with Dementia, which is caused by a number of diseases that affect the brain. Dementia may include symptoms of memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving and language.

Islington Council is committed to making Islington a friendly and accessible place for someone living with dementia and their carers. We are working with our community partners who are also committed to making this happen:

Check out the dementia-friendly activities and services available in Islington below!

The Islington memory and dementia navigator service

The Islington Memory and Dementia Navigator Service offers support to people living with dementia and their carers in Islington. If you have concerns about your memory or a diagnosis of dementia please speak to your GP about being referred to the service.  You can read more about service in this Islington Life blog, in which the service team share their tips on spotting and treating dementia.

Dementia Action Week (15 - 21 May 2023)

This year, the Alzheimer’s Society is focusing on increasing diagnosis rates and building upon the success of their symptoms checklist, working together with healthcare professionals to improve people’s diagnosis experience and ensure they get a timely diagnosis.

How can you help?

  • Learn more about the awareness campaign.
  • Share the symptoms checklist with your network.
  • Watch and share this video with first-hand stories from people living with and affected by Dementia on the benefits of getting a diagnosis.
  • Share and join local events taking place, please see the dropdown lists below.

 

Virtual Dementia Information Session 

Jeanne, Islington’s Dementia Friends Ambassador, will be running this session. Attend to become a Dementia Friend, understand more about dementia and the small things we can all do to make a difference to the lives of people affected by dementia.  

Dementia Friends is led by Alzheimer’s Society and is one strand of its work to create Dementia Friendly Communities. The Dementia Friends Information Session provides the opportunity to join this national social action movement to change the way the nation thinks, acts and talks about the condition. 

Thursday 18 May, 2.30pm – 3.30pm 

 Click here to join the meeting  

Meeting ID: 373 426 191 632
Passcode: KPA53F 

Contact Anna Christou for more information: anna.christou@islington.gov.uk 

  • Parks and Recreation

    • Parks and Recreation

      Cally Clock Tower Centre 

      Takes place every Wednesday starting Wednesday 17 May, 11 AM – 12 PM.

      We’ll put the kettle on each week and have a weekly topic to inspire conversation! There are many opportunities to bring in photos and other memorabilia to share and chat about all sorts of things.

      More information available on Age UK Islington website.

      Gillespie Park

      • Park Cuppa

      Join Islington Ecology Centre Nature Conservation Officer Jo for a gentle walk, which will last for about an hour, around Gillespie Park, Islington’s largest nature reserve followed by free tea and coffee afterwards. No need to book in advance, you can just turn up! The walk welcomes everyone including people living with dementia and their carers.

      • Second Tuesday of the month (starting 9 May) – not including Bank Holidays
      • 10.30am – 12pm
      • Islington Ecology Centre in Gillespie Park, 191 Drayton Park N5 1PH

      For more information, contact Jo at Jo.Corrall@Islington.gov.uk.

      See poster for more information.

      • Health and Nature walk

      Join this monthly walk-in at Gillespie Park, Islington’s largest nature reserve, and watch the seasons change as we talk and chat. The walk is guided by Jo, who will speak about the wildlife and the park’s history. We will walk for around 45 minutes, depending on the attendees. There are several places to stop and sit throughout the park. We will then return to the Ecology Centre for free tea, coffee and biscuits.

      • Friday Friday of the month – not including Bank Holidays
      • 10am – 11pm
      • Islington Ecology Centre in Gillespie Park, 191 Drayton Park N5 1PH

      You can book your tickets on Eventbrite.

      Singing for the Brain

      The Singing for the Brain sessions take place every Monday starting 15 May from 1.30pm to 3.30pm (excluding 30 May). The sessions are designed to promote well-being and build confidence for people with memory problems in Islington.

      Location: Hargrave Hall Community Centre, Hargrave Road, London, N19 5SP

      For more information, please contact Alzheimer’s Society Islington by calling 0208 121 5626 (9am-5pmm, Monday to Friday) or email Islington@alzheimers.org.uk.

      Cecilia’s Café

      The Dementia Café runs fortnightly throughout the year at Hargrave Hall Community Centre, Hargrave Road, London N19 5SP. Chat to people who have been affected by dementia in a friendly and relaxed, social environment at the Cecilia’s dementia café.

      Upcoming dates:

      Wednesday 10 May 1.30pm – 4.30 pm
      Wednesday 24 May 1.30pm – 4.30 pm

      If you would like more information about any of the services available, please call 020 8121 5626 or 07484 089543 or email islington@alzheimers.org.uk.

      Memory Café

      The Memory Café is open from 10.30am to 12.30pm every Tuesday (starting 16 May) at Christ Church Highbury. The Memory Café is run by a committee of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, with its own Constitution, whose aim is to offer free weekly hospitality to older people and their carers.

      There is more information available on the Christ Church Highbury website.

      Memory Group 

      You can join the Memory group, every Monday from 11.00am to 12.30pm at Sotheby Day Centre.

      Please call David on 07400085886 or the centre on 020 7226 1421 for more details.

      Dementia-friendly swimming session

      The swim session is free for anyone with Dementia and their carer. Participants can book in at reception – you will not be asked for proof of eligibility to access this session. Refreshments will be provided for free following the session.

      Sessions take place at Clissold Leisure Centre, N16 9EX every Wednesday 10am – 11am (starting 26 April) for 8 weeks (finishing on 14 June). Do not worry if you have missed the first session.

      For more information, email Mikael Kiviniemi, Community Sports Manager at Mikael.Kiviniemi@GLL.ORG.

       

  • Support for Carers

    • Support for Carers

      Islington Carers Hub (a service run by Age UK Islington)

      A carer is anyone who provides support for a partner, relative or friend who cannot manage on their own. The Islington Carers hub are a great advocate of Dementia friendly work and run Dementia Friends information sessions for their carers and volunteers. For more information visit their website.

      Let’s Talk Carers, British Library listening session for people with Dementia

      Have you ever wondered what Queen Victoria’s voice sounded like or the rainforest? Hosted by the British Library and open to all, including people living with Dementia and carers. Our hosts will be introducing an assortment of recordings from the British Library sound archive, one of the world’s largest collections of sound recordings.

      Location: Cally Clock Tower Centre

      Date and time: Wednesday 17 May, 2pm – 3.30 PM

      Tea, coffee and refreshments available on the day.

      For more information, contact Katie Skea, Communication Manager at KSkea@ageukislington.org.uk.

      In-person Dementia Friends session in a local care home

      Date and time: Friday 19 May, 10 – 11am

      Location: Elsyng House Care Home, 1 Forty Hill Enfield, EN2 9HT

      Link to book your slot.

  • Arts and Culture

    • Arts and Culture

      Dementia Choir at Brickworks Community Centre

      The Dementia Choir takes place every Monday from 12.30pm to 1.30pm at Brickworks Community Centre. The centre is looking for singers to join their brand new singing group, The Dementia Choir, for people living with dementia. No experience is required. The meetings aim to be a relaxed and fun way to meet other people who know what it’s like living with or supporting a loved one with dementia. Music will range from jazz, country to show tunes. You can find out more from choir leader, Rona about the benefits of singing for people with dementia in this Islington Life blog.

      If you would like more information, please contact Caroline by emailing admin@hanleycrouch.org.uk or calling 02072631067.

      Museum of London

      The Museum of London offers a range of dementia-friendly activities through their programme Memories of London. They offer onsite and online programmes including monthly online ‘Time For A Cuppa’ workshops, led by artists, and are looking forward to re-starting their onsite dementia-friendly tours, intergenerational programmes and more. They also have a host of resources on their website to download including Creative and Connected booklets and podcasts co-created with those affected by dementia. The Museum of London Museum also lead on the new Dementia Friendly Venues Charter, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society and GLA, which aims to make the cultural sector accessible for all those affected by dementia. For more information, visit their website.

      Park Theatre

      Pre-covid the Park Theatre ran regular dementia friendly showings of their plays, accompanied by a dementia friendly guide. They have been able to continue their reminiscence drama sessions and free choir for people living with dementia and their carers during lockdown. For more information visit their website.

      Arts4dementia – Arts for Brain health workshops

      The workshops are for adults with:

      • early stage dementia
      • mild cognitive impairment
      • memory worries who have yet to receive a formal diagnosis, or are going through memory assessment

      You can self-refer into the programmes, but can also be referred by your social prescriber.

      Arts4dementia Chatty Wednesdays

      A weekly opportunity for people with early-stage dementia and their companions to enjoy an hour of creative making and discussion from the comfort of their own home. 

      Sessions take place every Wednesday, from 2pm to 3pm on Zoom.

      Discover Science and Sculpture at the Science Museum

      The Science Museum programme will take place between 9 June and 14 July, every Thursday from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

      Each session will focus on different objects from the medicine galleries, highlighting some of the fascinating themes such as representations of the human body and​ imaging in medicine.  Participants will experiment with different mediums of sculpture, inspired by the marvellous stories showcased in the galleries. Lunch will be provided after the session to give participants the opportunity to socialise.

  • Dementia Cafes

    • Dementia Cafes

      StAns Wellness Café

      A fun vintage style pop-up Café serving tea, coffee and homemade cakes and biscuits at the historical St Andrew’s Church, Thornhill Square, N1 1BQ. The idea of StAn’s Café is to welcome the community to our church. StAn’s Café is a place to relax and safe haven café where families can bond and interact as one. It is a place to reminisce and create new memories. For more information, visit their Facebook page.