Dementia services

What is dementia?

Dementia is a growing challenge that affects an estimated 24,000 people in Kent and Medway, and there are estimated to be almost 950,000 people currently living with dementia in the UK. As the population ages and people live for longer, it has become one of the most important health and care issues facing the world.

Dementia mainly affects older people, and after the age of 65, the likelihood of developing dementia roughly doubles every five years. However, for some dementia can develop earlier, presenting different issues for the person affected, their carer and their family.

Dementia describes a group of symptoms that include problems with memory, thinking or language, and changes in mood, emotions, perception and behaviour. Dementia is a progressive disease, which means symptoms may be relatively mild at first, but they get worse over time. There are many types of dementia but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common. The next most common is vascular dementia.

KMPT Enhanced Memory Assessment and Intervention service

In summer 2022, we introduced a new Enhanced Memory Assessment and Intervention service. Developed by Kent and Medway clinicians, it is now available to people with concerns about their memory who are referred by their GP or other healthcare professional. People are assessed and then diagnosed by clinicians on the same day where wanted and appropriate for the person.

The key benefits of the new service are:

• Single appointment for assessment and diagnosis
• Reduction in time to treatment and support
• Face to face consultation
• Opportunity to get answers to questions straight away
• Access to post diagnostic support service, including links to Living Well with Dementia toolkit and access to Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) where appropriate

The service is part of a wider programme of work being delivered by KMPT and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System (ICS) to improve dementia services in the county. This includes work around raising dementia awareness and pre- and post-diagnostic support to enable people with dementia to live well. KMPT has also started a programme with GPs to train them to become dementia experts, which will see more people diagnosed in primary care settings in the future.

Admiral Nurses

KMPT works closely with family, loved ones and carers to support those with dementia. Our Admiral nurses are registered nurses who provide support for families affected by all forms of dementia and help families manage complex needs, considering the person living with dementia and the people around them.

KMPT Community Mental Health Service for Older People

Our Community Mental Health Service for Older People (CMHSOP) has ten locations across Kent and Medway. The community service is for both older people with mental health needs, which are complicated by age related needs, and for people, of all ages, who have needs related to dementia. The teams also provide support and advice to professionals, care homes and carers. Click here for further details about our sites across Kent and Medway.

You can find out more about our services for older people by reading our frequently asked questions.

KMPT won Most Dementia Friendly Organisation for its ground-breaking work around rapid dementia diagnosis. View our certificate here.

Read more: Inspiring award winners give hope for dementia-friendly future