Better support for BAME people living with dementia

The Race Equality Foundation has been awarded a grant by the Department of Health and Social Care to lead a programme with Black South West Network, Caribbean & African Health Network and Friends Families and Travellers, to work with 21 voluntary and community organisations to support black, Asian, and minority ethnic people living with dementia and their carers.

Dementia is the most common pre-existing condition for people who are dying from Covid-19, and for the 25,000 people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds living with the condition across the UK, the social restrictions imposed during lockdown have made an already challenging time even more difficult.

The pandemic has seen demands on black, Asian, and minority ethnic-led organisations that support these individuals grow severely. These organisations, whilst best placed to provide essential local support services, have faced their own challenges, including immense financial strain, loss of volunteers, and staffing crises due to employees shielding.

As part of this project, they have developed a national resource of written, spoken and video translations of the latest guidance and communication, as part of the programme. The materials have been translated into the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Kurdish, Punjabi, Portuguese, Polish, Somali, and Urdu and they have translated the following guidelines:

• COVID explanation of terms
• Shielding guidelines
• Staying safe outside your home
• Getting a Covid test
• Coronavirus guidance for people who provide unpaid care to family and friends
• Meeting with others
• Support bubble
• Looking after friends or family when they leave hospital
• Vaccine for coronavirus
• Safeguarding Factsheet: Community volunteers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Please find all of the translated materials here.