A NEW service is to be launched to help people with dementia as well as those with concerns about friends and family members who may have the disease.

The South Lakes Dementia Hub will launch at Kendal Town Hall on Saturday, March 11, with the aim of becoming a 'one-stop shop' for those affected by the condition.

It hopes to provide people with access to advice, nurses, planners, support, and an opportunity to engage with people living with dementia.

The hub is a joint initiative between South Lakeland Carers, University Hospitals Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust (UHMBT) and Lancaster University. It will seek to build on the existing work of dementia-specialist organisations that already have a strong presence in the area, and also compliment The Bay Dementia Hub which is operating at St John’s Hospice, Lancaster.

Dr Penny Foulds, Honorary Researcher at Lancaster University and founder of the Defying Dementia campaign, said: “Research has revealed that early diagnosis can help people and their carers live well with dementia. This initiative is about helping our community know where to go for information and services when a diagnosis is made, or even before if they are worried about a loved one.”

Dianne Smith, Matron for Dementia, UHMBT, said: “At the Trust we want to ensure that people with dementia keep healthy, thereby preventing hospital admissions wherever possible. Nurses from the Care of the Elderly Team, and other health professionals will be present at The South Lakes Dementia Hub, to provide advice and reassurance.”

There are currently over 850,000 people in the UK who have been diagnosed with dementia, but it is thought that the actual figure of people with the condition could be much higher. This means that thousands of people who could have dementia are not accessing treatments and support to help them live well with the condition.

The launch will take place in the town hall's Bindloss Room from 9.30am.