There have been various studies carried out into the relationship between infections and cognitive health, as the impact of inflammation and other changes on the brain can be quite considerable. In this blog we look at the impact of infections for people living with dementia. Why do infections have such a profound effect on cognitive health? Infections can be either bacterial or viral. Viral infections are passed between people, for example, colds and flu. Bacterial infections are where bacteria enter a person via air, water, soil, or food causing illnesses such as ear infections, pneumonia ..read more

Click here to open the latest Memory Matters newsletter. Throughout, you will find out about: Expansion of our Day Breaks. Progression of Outreach locations with more to come. Growth in the variety of support groups. Extending the reach of our Dementia SUPPORTer awareness programme. Two of our amazing volunteers and their impact on our additional services and awareness. Fundraisers of all ages who have been supporting and raising funds as individuals, part of a group, or within their business. Click below to download and read ..read more

Are you concerned that you, or a loved one or colleague may be showing the early signs of dementia? While the symptoms can be similar to other factors, such as stress or menopause, if you are seriously concerned, it is always worth checking with a GP. The early signs of dementia are referred to as early onset dementia and shouldn’t be confused with young onset dementia which is when people are diagnosed with the condition under the age of 65. Early signs of dementia may go unnoticed or be put down to aging as they can be very mild and gradual to start. Mild cognitive impairment Family and f ..read more

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is the third most common type of dementia. Alzheimer’s Research UK suggests around 100,000 people in the UK have it - that’s around 10-15% of people living with dementia. LBD causes a combination of symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease, such as short-term memory loss, and parkinsonian symptoms, for example stiffness and slow movements. Symptoms may start mild but gradually worsen as it is a progressive condition. Lewy Body Dementia is split into two sub-types: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinsons Disease Dementia (PDD). DLB is diagnosed when the cognitive symptoms ..read more

We will be hosting a company of poets, choreographers and composers in a series of sessions at Sage House as they create The ReFramed Project.   The company will include participants from Sage House, their families and support staff, plus a team of professional creatives, led by local director Fiona Dunn.   In the series of creative imagination workshops, they will explore the musicality of people living with dementia using words, music, movement, poetry, and laughter.   The professional creatives will create a 45-minute performance of sung narrative-dance in response to the wor ..read more

A spectacular Charity Ball, held in the glorious setting of Goodwood House has raised £64,000 for Sage House in Tangmere to support local people living with dementia. England Rugby legend, Steve Thompson MBE, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia at the age of 42, opened the evening and spoke with passion about the impact that his diagnosis has had on both his wife Steph, his children as well as his own mental health. The opportunity to host the ball on the 24th February, was part of the Charity of the Year partnership with the Goodwood Estate. Kindly sponsored by Rathbones Investment Ma ..read more

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is the collective name for symptoms associated with damage to the brain. It is a progressive disorder affecting memory, thought process and behaviour.   Alzheimer’s disease is characterised by the presence of abnormal protein deposits in the form of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (or tau). These cause nerve cell damage in the brain, interrupting connections between neurons responsible for transmitting messages within the brain and to the rest of the body.  Essentially, the proteins wrap around and stick to t ..read more

At Sage House we are committed to helping people to live well with dementia, no matter what stage in the journey they are at. If you are looking to improve your life or that of a loved one who is living with dementia, there are several things which you can do to optimise levels of comfort, happiness and wellbeing. In addition to learning to live well with dementia, it’s also an opportunity to create precious moments and make memories to cherish for years to come. Staying Active & Healthy With Dementia   Having an active lifestyle can benefit you in so many more ways than just offering ..read more

Has a recent dementia diagnosis left you wondering what the future might hold regarding living independently? If you are someone who has always enjoyed their independence it can be worrying to imagine a time when being able to do everything for yourself no longer comes as easily. However, the good news is that, with just a few adaptions to your daily life and changes around your home, you can help yourself to live independently and comfortably for as long as possible. At Dementia Support, we are committed to enabling people to live well with dementia and that includes helping people to retain ..read more

Staff at the charity, Sage House by Dementia Support were delighted to hear last week that they have been shortlisted as national finalists in the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards, hosted by Care Management Matters in TWO categories.   The West Sussex-based charity has been chosen as one of just three finalists in both the Dementia Care category, in recognition of its excellent quality of services and also Collaboration (Integration) category which recognises ways of working in partnership with other people to achieve positive outcomes that would otherwise not have been achieved.   The ..read more