Conditions and disabilities

 

The following has been taken from the soon to be published Lincolnshire’s All-Age Autism, Strategy 2023-2028:

Autism is a lifelong experience which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Some autistic people may experience this as disabling or feel disabled and view autism as a lifelong developmental disability. For others, this disability is inherent to the being autistic and related to core features including executive functioning difficulties and communication or sensory needs.

For more information about autism please see Autism - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

 

A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities which affects someone for their whole life.

People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, understand complicated information and interact with other people.

The level of support someone needs depends on the individual. For example, someone with a mild learning disability may only need support with things like getting a job. However, someone with a severe or profound learning disability may need full­time care and support with every aspect of their life.

 

Services available with an Adult Care Assessment

Any support or services you may be eligible for will depend on the outcome of your Adult Care assessment. This will establish if you have any eligible care and support needs.

Support could include:

• professional support from Lincolnshire County Council’s Community Learning Disability Teams
• help to live in your home, including personal care or support to access your local community
• day opportunities, which could be a building based service or individual support to assist you to access community based activities, including leisure, work and education
• a short break to give your informal carers a break from their caring role. This could take place in a residential setting, a shared lives placement, in your own home or away from home with support
• a shared lives placement, where you can stay for a short break or on a long-term basis in a shared lives carer’s home
• community supported living – if you are eligible for adult care services, you can have a personal budget to live more independently within the community
• residential care if your needs cannot be safely met with a community based support package
• advocacy, information and advice
• specialist therapy services – the Lincolnshire County Council Community Learning Disability Teams work in partnership with health colleagues who deliver a wide range of specialist learning disability therapy services through the HUB teams

 

Annual Health Checks

People with a learning disability often have poorer physical and mental health than other people. This does not need to be the case.

Annual health checks are for adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability. An annual health check helps you stay well by talking about your health and finding any problems early, so you get the right care.

You do not have to be ill to have a health check – in fact, most people have their annual health check when they’re feeling well. This leaflet from Mencap offers more information on the health checks and how they are carried out.

Watch this film about annual health check for people with a learning disability.

 

Easy read guides to help people with learning disabilities understand and access health information

These easy read guides have been produced by the NHS to help people with learning disabilities and autism better understand and access health information.

The first guide, Get ready to talk about your health, explains how to prepare for a consultation with a health or care provider.

The second guide, 3 questions for health, provides useful information about how to have better talks with healthcare professionals.

 

A physical disability may affect, either temporarily or permanently, a person’s physical capacity and/or mobility. There are different causes of physical disabilities but they can include serious illness or injury, or genetic or inherited disorders.

 

Services available with an Adult Care Assessment

Any support or services you may be eligible for will depend on the outcome of your Adult Care assessment. This will establish if you have any eligible care and support needs.

Support could include:

• help to live in your home, including personal care or support to access your local community
• day opportunities, which could be a building based service or individual support to assist you to access community based activities, including leisure, work and education
• a short break to give your informal carers a break from their caring role. This could take place in a residential setting, a shared lives placement, in your own home or away from home with support
• a shared lives placement, where you can stay for a short break or on a long-term basis in a shared lives carer’s home
• community supported living – if you are eligible for adult care services, you can have a personal budget to live more independently within the community
• residential care if your needs cannot be safely met with a community based support package
• advocacy, information and advice

Worried about your memory

If you’re having trouble remembering things or experiencing memory loss, it’s important you find out why. Here’s how.

Being forgetful or experiencing memory loss can cause stress and result in confusion, learn more here

Memory loss becomes more common as we age, and in some cases can be a symptom of dementia – but this often isn’t the case. Memory loss can be caused by several other issues like anxiety, stress, depression, vitamin B12 deficiency, delirium, thyroid issues, infections, or vascular problems. It can also be the result of physical damage caused by a head injury or a stroke.

Whatever the reasons, if you’re experiencing memory loss you should seek the advice and help of a professional. The sooner you speak to someone any treatment you may need will work better if it is started early.

What to do

If you are experiencing memory loss, or forgetfulness that’s affecting your day-to-day life then you should speak to your GP.

They will speak to you about your experiences, your family history and may also request a blood test. Your GP will discuss their view on your condition and may refer you to our Lincolnshire Memory Assessment Service if they feel it’s appropriate.

While you may be concerned your memory loss could be a symptom of dementia, it’s likely to be caused by something else.

Also did you know that 40% of all dementia cases are potentially preventable! There are many risk factors for dementia that you can change, with the right support. These changes mainly involve keeping your body and brain healthy and preventing damage to your brain. 

Health Checks

The NHS Health Check aims to lower your risk of getting conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and dementia.

Just having one of these diseases can increase your risk of getting another which includes dementia, and the good news is these conditions can often be prevented. There are real benefits to having your health check when you are offered this, it can identify any early signs of health issues, and gives you advice on what you can do to make lifestyle changes that can reduce your risks and help that’s available.

The NHS Health Check service is available at GP practices across the Lincolnshire County Council catchment area. You are eligible for a health check if you are registered with a GP, it’s aimed at adults in England aged 40 to 74, it checks your vascular or circulatory health and works out your risk of developing some of the most disabling – but preventable – illnesses which include dementia. It is free of charge, including any follow-up tests or appointments.

Dementia

If you or a member of your family has a dementia diagnosis, visit The Memory Support Service this service is provided by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT). The service gives you access to a support worker who will provide guidance and advice throughout all stages of your dementia journey.

Support will include:

• understanding the diagnosis and what this could mean for you and your carer or loved ones.
• understanding the importance of planning for the future.
• accessing the right support to enable you to live in the local community for as long as possible.
• building resilience and confidence to manage the impact of the diagnosis.
• identifying the range of support services available for someone with this diagnosis or for those who are supporting you.

Alzheimer's Society                    

Through the Alzheimer’s Society website you can:

• Search for dementia services local to you on 
• Connect with other families living with dementia through Dementia Talking Point
• Find information that’s tailored to your needs via Dementia Connect.

 

Dementia UK

Dementia UK —  is a specialist dementia nursing charity that is there for the whole family. Learn more here

Young Dementia Network

Dementia is described as ‘young onset’ when symptoms develop before the age of 65, usually between 30 to 65 years of age. The Network is an online influencing community working collaboratively to improve lives. People living with young onset dementia and their families are at its heart. Learn more here

Memory Support Service

The Memory Support Service is provided by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT). The service is funded by Lincolnshire County Council. The service gives you access to a support worker who will provide guidance and advice throughout all stages of your dementia journey.

What is an Admiral Nurse

Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses. Continually supported and developed by Dementia UK, they provide life-changing support for families affected by all forms of dementia – including Alzheimer’s disease. Admiral Nurses help people living with dementia stay independent for longer – and support the people caring for them so that they will have the strength to cope with the bad days, and the energy to enjoy the good days. To find out if there is an Admiral Nurse service in your area, contact the Helpline.

Living well with Dementia

Age UK

From keeping well, adapting your home and getting support, Age UK publishes advice online that can help guide you through if you are diagnosed with dementia. There’s also a postcode search on www.ageuk.org.uk that allows you to find the details of your local Age UK branch. 

Age UK Lincoln & South Lincolnshire provide a I Forget service for those experiencing symptoms of memory loss and cognitive impairment with or without a diagnosis of dementia. Their friendly and knowledgeable advisors are on hand to provide a listening ear, clear advice, and kind support, throughout your journey with dementia. To refer yourself or a loved one to this free service please call 03455 564 144 or visit the website Age UK | Lincoln & South Lincolnshire.

Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) and Dementia Friendly Communities Groups (DFC) are where people living with dementia, organisations and businesses come together to help make the world more dementia friendly, helping people live well with dementia and remain a part of their community.

These groups can be contacted :

Louth & Skegness Area Dementia Friendly Community – Contact Jane Berni on  Jane.Berni@e-lindsey.gov.uk

Lincoln Dementia Friendly Community – info@lslageuk.org.uk

Boston Dementia Action Alliance - Karen.Stengel@boston.gov.uk

There are many local groups and services around Lincolnshire that offer support and advice to people with dementia and their carers, search the Connect to Support community directories here

Joint Dementia Strategy 2018 - 2021

 

The Lincolnshire Joint Strategy for Dementia 2018 - 2021 has been reviewed and the new strategy will be available in April 24. This strategy sets out our vision and is an overview of how Lincolnshire NHS trusts, Adult Care and Community Wellbeing, will work together as a whole system across Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise (VCSE), and beyond.

We have worked together with people that have lived experience of dementia and with partners to develop a new strategy that provides information on the priorities for dementia support and services in Lincolnshire over the next five years.

Dementia Programme Board (DPB)

The DPB was established in September 2022. It is a forum of clinicians and managers as nominated leads from across the partnership organisations, NHS, Health Trusts, PCNs, Social Care able to make decisions, who will lead and oversee Lincolnshire’s Dementia programme.

What does the DPB mean for people affected by dementia, carers and families?

The Board provides a forum to achieve improvements in the care of people with dementia and their families and carers in Lincolnshire.  It is intended to promote good practice, pressing for progress in developing high quality services for people in Lincolnshire affected by dementia contact Lincolnshire Dementia Programme Board at licb.ldpb@nhs.net

Dementia Research

Did you know - you can help advance dementia care, diagnosis and treatments?

Why become a volunteer for dementia research?

• Dementia affects more than 900,000 people in the UK.
• Research offers hope. Only through research can we understand what causes dementia diseases, develop effective treatments and improve the care of those living with dementia.
• But for research to make progress we need more people with and without dementia to take part in vital studies.
• There are many different ways that you can help!
• Help beat dementia by signing up today. 

When you sign up to Join Dementia Research, the information you provide is used to match you to studies you may be able to take part in, both online, nationally and in your local area.

Join dementia research - register your interest in dementia research : Home (nihr.ac.uk)

You can also join by phone by calling one of our charity Helpline numbers for help: (UK WIDE)  
9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. 

Alzheimer’s Society; 0333 150 3456 and please mention Join Dementia Research at the start of your call.

 

Herbert Protocol

The Herbert Protocol is a national scheme adopted by Lincolnshire Police and other police services across the country. It encourages carers, families, friends or neighbours, to hold information about the person with dementia that can help the police find them if they go missing.

The basis of the scheme is for vital information about the person such as medication, description, photograph, significant places in the person’s life and their daily routine, to be recorded on a form.

The form can be downloaded or printed from the Lincolnshire Police website or pick one up from your local police station.

Dementia Wristband

People living with dementia in Lincolnshire are now entitled to a free NFC Dementia Safeguarding Band. 

If you are a carer or relative of someone who is living with dementia who is mobile within the community and you think a wristband would be of benefit then please email dementiasafeguarding@lincs.police.uk  with the name of the person, you are requesting for. Include their date of birth and home address along with the requested name address and contact number and a member of the team will be in touch. 

 

 Sensory impairments

A sensory impairment is when one of your senses (generally sight and hearing) is no longer working as it should. A person does not have to have a full loss of sense to be sensory impaired.

A dual sensory impairment is a combination of both hearing and sight impairment. A person does not have to have the total loss of both senses and the majority of people that are dual sensory impaired have some degree or sight and/or hearing.

Lincolnshire Sensory Services

Lincolnshire Sensory Services provides specialist support across Lincolnshire for people who are visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or have dual sensory loss. The service is delivered on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council by BID Services.

Lincolnshire Sensory Services understands the practical and emotional challenges that people with sensory loss face. They work to promote independence, accessibility, and wellbeing for people of all ages. The service works closely with families, carers and other organisations to increase understanding of the impact of sensory loss.

Services available include:

• Registration of sight, hearing and dual sensory loss
• Rehabilitation support to help with daily living tasks
• Mobility training for safe independent travel
• Equipment provision and demonstration
• Information and advice about living with sensory loss and accessing activities in the local community
• Social mobility for children with a sensory impairment
• Referral and signposting to other services, voluntary organisations and groups
• Benefits advice
• Community drop-ins for NHS hearing aid maintenance and replacement batteries (in collaboration with the local NHS hearing aid providers) and BSL translation for members of the Deaf community.

More information is available on the Lincolnshire Sensory Services website.

999 BSL

The 999 BSL service allows deaf people to make emergency calls using an app or website, connecting callers with a BSL interpreter.

It is free to use and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The system, which launched in June 2022, is the first time a 999 emergency service  is available in British Sign Language, though a similar process exists for the NHS 111 number.

People who use the service will be put through to a BSL interpreter, who will then relay the conversation to a 999 operator.

 

 

A stroke is a serious life-threatening medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off.  Strokes are a medical emergency and urgent treatment is essential.  The sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen.  If you suspect that you or someone else is having a stroke, phone 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance.

The main symptoms of a stroke can be remembered with the word FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time).  Further information on FAST, the causes of stroke, treating/recovering from a stroke, as well as preventing a stroke can be found at: Stroke - NHS

A social care and support guide can be found at: Social care and support guide