What’s your favourite cuppa? I’m very partial to a cup of malty, full bodied Assam tea or a deliciously fragrant Darjeeling. Dementia UK is marking its 20th anniversary by inviting tea drinkers across the nation to host their own Time for a Cuppa party, from 1st – 8th March 2015, to help raise funds for more Admiral Nurses. Admiral Nurses are specialist nurses who support families living with dementia. Available to support families from the point of diagnosis to after bereavement, Admiral Nurses provide advice on referrals to other appropriate services and liaise with healthcare professionals on behalf of the family. Admiral Nurses also work in care homes, acute hospitals and in facilities offering end of life care as well as in the community supported by voluntary organisations and home care services.
Actress Phyllis Logan, who plays Mrs Hughes in Downton Abbey, is a Dementia UK Time for a Cuppa Ambassador. Phyllis explains, “‘Have a cup of tea’ seems to be the British answer to everything. Over tea, you chat and share your problems, and laugh together about happy times. That’s why I support Time for a Cuppa; it’s an opportunity for people to get together over a cup of tea and help raise funds for more Admiral Nurses, who are specialist dementia nurses. Admiral Nurses are a lifeline for so many families but we desperately need more of them. I am determined to support Dementia UK and give more people with dementia and their carers a better quality of life.”
I was so pleased to learn about Admiral Nurses here in the UK. My own late mother lived with dementia in the last few years of her life and although her symptoms did not become as severe as for some, I know it was challenging for my father to care for her. On our frequent trips to Canada I remember watching mom become more and more anxious and forgetful. It would have helped my late father tremendously to have had support from someone who specialised in the care of people living with dementia and their families, like the Admiral Nurses.
Thanks to Time for a Cuppa 2014, one thousand more families now receive care and support from an Admiral Nurse, to enable them to live as positively as possible with dementia.
Why not whip up a delicious Lemon Drizzle Cake or Triple Ginger Pound Cake, invite some friends round and put the kettle on to raise money for this very worthy cause? You can visit www.timeforacuppa.org to for more information or to order a free tea-party pack, which has everything you need for a successful fundraiser including games, activities, posters and invites.
Dementia UK also run a national helpline, Admiral Nursing DIRECT, the only nurse-led dementia helpline in the country. Offering practical advice and emotional support for families living with the effects of dementia, the helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9.15 – 16.45. Call 0845 257 9406 or email direct@dementia.co.uk.
Please support the Time for a Cuppa Appeal with your own tea party or by making a donation and help give more people with dementia and their carers a better quality of life.
Disclosure: I am writing this post in support of Dementia UK in my mother’s memory and because I feel strongly about the importance of specialist care for people with dementia and their families. I have not been compensated for this post.
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