Share your Forget Me Not story .  Their Forget Me Not is a visible reminder that it’s only together we can beat dementia – by giving vital support to those who need it, funding ground-breaking research, and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Share your Forget Me Not story | Alzheimer’s Society and they will share it to their  story wall.

Download Dementia Action Week resources including posters, flyers and banners to help spread the word about making dementia diagnosis a priority.

Dementia Action Week resources | Alzheimer’s Society

Bolton

As part of Dementia Action Week 2026 (18^th May –24^th May), Bolton Dementia Collaborative are hosting two community events in Bolton.

• Monday 18^th May 11am to 3pm. Victoria Square, Bolton. Outdoor event with partner stalls, community engagement, and the Dementia Sensory Bus. Light refreshments provided. Booking is essential to experience the Dementia Sensory Bus, and is on a first come, first served basis. All bookings must be made before Friday 8^th To book your slot, please email: dementiabus@bolton.homeinstead.co.uk or call Emma on 01204 565065.
• Tuesday 19^th Bolton Central Library 11am to 3pm. Indoor event with organisations offering information, support, and signposting. Light refreshments provided.

Bolton Spotlight on Dementia

Alzheimer’s Society’s Singing for the Brain session. Wednesday 20^th May. 11.30am to 1pm. Music and magic for people living with dementia or anyone worried about their memory. 70s and 80s Bollywood. Emmanuel Church Centre, Vicarage Street, Bolton, BL3 5LE. To register please contact Maggie on 07703715449

Singing For The Brain

Bury

Tuesday Memory Club

• When: Takes place on the first Tuesday of the month, 1.30 – 3pm. Next session is on Tuesday 5^thof May.
• Where: Christ Church, Great Eaves Road, Ramsbottom, BL0 0PX.
• Info: Dementia friendly activities, reminiscing and singing.
• In May we will have the Bury Live Well Service attending for some chair based exercise.
• Entry is free and refreshments are provided.

Tuesday Memory Club, Bury

Manchester

Together Dementia Support. Throughout the week, we’ll host a series of events that bring people together, showcase our members’ skills and creativity, and highlight the importance of accessible, community-based support. We would love your support in helping us:

• Attend and champion these events
• Share our work with your teams or networks
• Support our fundraising campaign 

Alongside the week’s events, we are also aiming to raise £2,000 to continue supporting people living with dementia across Manchester. We will be launching an online fundraising campaign in the lead-up to Dementia Action Week to help make this possible.

The Fabulous Forgetful Café: Monday 18 May & Thursday 21 May, Kath Locke Centre, Hulme. A pop-up café where people living with dementia welcome, serve and chat with guests. Members have been preparing food and practising their roles to create a warm, relaxed dining experience that challenges assumptions in a simple, human way. Bookable here

The Fabulous Forgetful Cafe

Home, Heart & Connection: Exhibition Launch. Wednesday 20 May, 1–3 pm, Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre, Levenshulme. Celebrate the opening of a new art installation created by people living with dementia in collaboration with local artist Michelle Ayavoro. RSVP to: mary@togetherdementiasupport.org

Home, Heart and Connection Exhibition Launch

Cream Tea & Brass Band Celebration. Friday 22 May, 2–5 pm, Chorlton Central Church. An afternoon of live music from NOVA Brass, cream tea, and community connection. Bookable here

Cream Tea and Brass Band Celebration Flyer

Salford

Salford Dementia Partnership will be out and about across Salford, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm with the Brain Health Roadshow.

• Monday May 18th Tesco Irlam
• Tuesday May 19th Eccles Gateway
• Wednesday 20th Broughton Hub
• Thursday 21st Asda Swinton
• Friday 22nd Salford Royal

The Roadshow will also join the Salford 100 celebration, 5pm-9pm, at Seedley Pavilion at the end of Dementia Action Week. The Roadshow will share the simple steps that we can all take to prevent or delay cognitive decline and dementia, bringing together partners from across the city. Partners will also offer signposting to a wide range of local support available for families affected by dementia.

If you can’t make the roadshow pop into one of Salford’s Libraries for more information.

Salford Dementia Partnership Brain Health Roadshow

Wigan

As part of Dementia Action Week 2026, we are bringing together voices from lived experience, the voluntary and community sector, and health and social care to listen to the experiences of Black and South Asian communities and their experiences of dementia care. Centring perspectives that are often marginalised or absent from policy and practice discussions, Dementia in Colour will be a creative space, inviting critical reflection on existing approaches to care and their impact on lived experience.

The event will include talks from invited speakers, and artworks created in collaboration with people who are living with dementia. Light refreshments will be provided.

Thursday 21^st May 2026. 10am to 2pm. Immediate Media, Vineyard House, 33 Brook Green, W6 7BT.  Register here to book your ticket

Dementia in Colour Wigan

The post Dementia Action Week May 18th to May 24th 2026 appeared first on Dementia United.

Delirium is a condition which causes a short-term confused state and develops over hours and days. It causes short term problems with memory, concentration, attention and personality. It occurs when a person is medically unwell and can be caused by several things, such as infections, pain or constipation. People living with dementia are more likely to experience delirium. People may go on to develop delirium, whether they are in hospital, in a care home or living at home.

The personal experiences were very powerful. Thanks for sharing.

The aim of this webinar was to:

• Raise awareness of delirium as a serious, common, and often preventable condition.
• Share lived experiences to highlight real-world impact.
• Promote early recognition, prevention and improved care.
• Share regional learning, data and standards for delirium care.

Slide deck Voices of Delirium Session to mark World Delirium Awareness Day March 2026

Agenda WDAD 2026

Thank you to all the wonderful speakers, this is all such useful and important information

As part of the webinar four members of the Dementia Carers Expert Reference Group shared their powerful real‑world experiences demonstrating:

• How often delirium is missed or mislabelled (commonly as dementia).
• The distress caused by poor communication, lack of carer involvement, ward environment, and inconsistent care.
• Importance of hydration, maintaining routines, ensuring sensory aids are available, and supporting dignity.
• The vital role carers play in recognising subtle changes early.
• The need to challenge decisions around admission, discharge, and treatment when something feels “not right.”

Thank you to those who shared their lived experience

Across Dementia United we’ve been working in collaboration with lived experience advisors since 2018. For the delirium programme we created this webpage to capture lived experience accounts and to share the resources created. Health and care staff from across Greater Manchester have told us that these accounts are very powerful and that they welcome us sharing these alongside our delirium training resources as they assist them in raising awareness about the importance of improving the detection and management of delirium. Hear from our lived experience colleagues

Thank you so much it was excellent listening to the real-life stories.

Voices of Delirium Session to mark World Delirium Awareness Day March 2026 Key Takeaways

Delirium Spotlight

In our delirium Spotlight you can read about:

• Dementia United’s contributions to national resources and policy
• Greater Manchester’s collaborative approach to delirium attracts international attention
• Delirium resources for family members and carers
• Working to make delirium data easier to access and understand
• Help shape the future of delirium research in the UK Transform
• ing delirium care across Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Dementia United’s delirium webinars and in-person events
• Making the best use of Greater Manchester’s delirium resources
• Learning from Greater Manchester’s delirium pathway
• Hear from Dementia United’s lived experience colleagues
• Innovative delirium/dementia simulation training developed at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

Dementia United Delirium Spotlight April 2026

You can  find out more about our delirium programme here 

The post World Delirium Awareness Day 2026 Voices of Delirium webinar, March 11th 2026 appeared first on Dementia United.

Nominations and Judging

The awards are judged by a panel of dementia experts, including people with lived experience, ensuring that every nomination is seen, valued, and understood. Whether nominating a colleague, a team, a service, or someone whose quiet dedication deserves the spotlight, this is the chance to say: you matter, and your work matters too.

Awards Timeline

• Friday 27 February 2026, 5pm: Nominations Close.
• 1-14 March 2026: Shortlisting
• 15-26 March 2026: Interviews with shortlisted nominees
• 27 March 2026: Shortlisted nominees are notified
• 30 April 2026: Gala Awards Lunch and Ceremony

General Judging Criteria

• Impact: Tangible difference made to people affected by dementia.
• Innovation or Distinctiveness: Fresh thinking, creative approaches, or unique contributions.
• Person-Centred Approach: Respect, empathy, and individualised support.
• Evidence of Effectiveness: Testimonials, outcomes, or measurable results.
• Inclusivity and Accessibility: Reaching diverse communities and promoting equity.
• Collaboration and Leadership: Working with others or leading change in a positive way

You find out more about the award categories, specific judging criteria and nomination forms on the Dementia Community website   Award Lists – Dementia Community

The post UK Dementia Awards 2026 appeared first on Dementia United.

Greater Manchester has reviewed and refreshed its Greater Manchester Dementia and Brain Health Quality Standards. These 18 high-level standards set a shared vision for delivering high-quality, equitable dementia care. They have been designed to be adopted by localities, alongside the Dementia and Brain Health Delivery Plan 2023 to 2025, and to act as benchmarks to guide improvement and reform across the region.

To support implementation, Dementia United has been working closely with all ten boroughs to deliver a series of self-assessment workshops. Each locality is bringing together multi-agency teams to assess current practice against the standards and develop locally owned action plans that will shape their dementia strategies going forward.

Trafford’s commitment to improvement

Trafford has a strong history of partnership working to improve support for people affected by dementia, and the workshop offered an important opportunity to take stock together with Dementia United colleagues. The afternoon session focused on a structured self-assessment against the Greater Manchester dementia quality standards. This enable teams to identify strengths, gaps and priorities for their next phase of work.

Trafford continues to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing dementia care. The council and healthcare partners are currently refreshing their local dementia approach, ensuring it reflects the outcomes of this year’s workshop and remains aligned with regional priorities.

Notably, Trafford has made strong progress in improving diagnosis. Working with the memory assessment team and primary care the dementia diagnosis rate for people aged 65 and over increased from 66.4% in Jan 25 to 70.3% in November 2025, exceeding expectations and supporting earlier access to treatment and guidance.

Dementia is a major health priority, and there is a real, growing momentum to research medicines which can modify the progression of this disease, enhance the public awareness of prevention and embed practical support that improves quality of life for people and families now.

It’s so encouraging to see so many attend our group, especially those with lived experience and carers as well as professionals across our system, all with a shared interest in and motivation to improve dementia care in Trafford. We are reflecting on what has been achieved in 2025 with all your help and looking forward to setting priorities for 2026.  Liz Clarke, Dementia Clinical Lead for Trafford

The post Improving dementia care in Greater Manchester: Trafford hosts second annual quality standards workshop appeared first on Dementia United.

Mike was a retired RAF Pilot from Rochdale who had travelled all over the world. Mike and Liz, as highly respected speakers at clinical commissioning groups, patient participation groups, conferences and university events, contributed their knowledge and expertise with great generosity over many years.

After marrying in 1993, Liz and Mike worked together to set up and run a charity in Nicaragua, developing a network of trained primary care professionals and setting up pharmacies to deliver health care in deprived areas.

Later in life, as members of DCERG, they became involved in many projects shaping dementia services across the region. They were particularly interested in end of life care, post diagnostic support, delirium and transport. They took part in research into the impact of live music on the wellbeing of people living with dementia. They found that music cafes could help avoid isolation, bring a smile to their faces and keep the brain active.

Liz and Mike were also involved in an early detection project for Delirium and experienced first-hand the benefits of a quick diagnosis tool at Salford Royal.

Mike loved what he was involved with at Dementia United, it gave him so much hope for the next Mike and Liz. It gave him purpose and courage to face his illness and not let it define him. Liz Brookes

Liz and Mike shared the view that a diagnosis of dementia does not have to be the end of a journey, and that with the right support, many people can continue to live well, as they did for many years after Mike’s diagnosis.

Mike always acknowledged his diagnosis of Dementia and from the onset made advanced decisions with Liz. Mike was a special man who lived positively. Liz educated several professionals to help with the care of Mike and others with Dementia, a true legacy. Ruth Turner, chair of DCERG

Mike fought his dementia every step of the way, wanting to continue to do all the things he had always done, for as long as he could. I am so proud of his contributions to DU, honoured to have supported him – and blessed with some wonderful memories. Liz Brookes

Liz will continue play a key role as part of our dementia programme in Greater Manchester. And Mike’s legacy will continue to send a vital message of hope and friendship to everyone affected by dementia.

The post A tribute to Mike Brookes, who passed away very peacefully at home on 24 October, after living with Vascular Dementia since 2011. appeared first on Dementia United.

Sarah Kirkland, Senior Project Manager at Dementia United, chaired a Greater Manchester Showcase. This featured a range of organisations who involve and work with experts by experience (people living with dementia and family carers). True co-production in action. Dementia United were joined by Sania Rehman (Team Sahara South Asian Project Greater Manchester) and Masood Ahmed Qureshi (Expert by Experience, Team Sahara.

As part of the Greater Manchester Showcase, Ruth Turner (Chair) and Ann Booth spoke passionately about meaningful co-production and the importance of the work of DCERG members.  Ruth highlighted their key role as equal partners in representing carers, informing strategic decisions and improving health outcomes.  As their presentation demonstrated, they make a difference!

Sarah then went on to chair the discussion following the keynote address by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. Andy’s keynote ‘Redefining public service: Supporting people to live well with dementia in Greater Manchester’ showcased and celebrated Greater Manchester’s pioneering approach in providing great everyday support and services for people living with dementia, their families and carers. It also explored Greater Manchester’s whole system approach through the lenses of prevention, diversity and inclusion, and research and innovation and offered a vision for the future of public services both across the city-region and nationally.

DCERG members were very much in demand at #UKDC2025, taking part in, and leading several parallel sessions and workshops to an audience of over 500 across two days at Bridgewater Hall.

Jenny Harris co-presented the Tom Kitwood Memorial Address on The Art of Care:  How the study of care aesthetics reveals a new direction for person-centred practices in dementia care.  Jenny is the lead artist on the Care Aesthetics project at Manchester University and curator of the exhibition Our Long Goodbye an exhibition of photos, film and writing exploring a mother and daughter’s journey with Alzheimer’s

Leah Payne co-presented The World in One Shining Moment, with Dementia United’s academic advisor and NIHR ARC Dementia Research Fellow, Dr Sarah Fox. Their workshop focused on the meaningful everyday experiences (glimmers) which help people living with dementia to maintain connection with their own unique identities and to feel safe and connected in their environments. Attendees were encouraged to consider their own personal sensory and glimmer-focussed biographies, co-creating collages reflective of the sights, smells, sounds and experiences which bring them joy.

Kellie Leatherbarrow shared learning from the successful implementation of Living with Dementia Passport  as part of a wider session on dementia care in acute hospitals.  Dementia Passports contains salient points of information to improve communication during the transition of care, are patient centred and stay with an individual throughout their journey. They can be downloaded here.

Full details of the conference programme can be found here and for further information on any aspect of the Greater Manchester showcase, please contact sarah.kirkland@nhs.net

The post UK Dementia Congress 2025: The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. appeared first on Dementia United.

The James Lind Alliance Delirium UK Priority Setting Partnership led by Professors Elizabeth Sampson and Emma Vardy are gathering questions from people with lived experience, carers, and Health and Social Care Professionals to identify the most important areas for future research.

Delirium can affect anyone who is seriously unwell — but older adults are most at risk.

It’s linked to serious outcomes including causes falls, longer hospital admissions, post-traumatic stress, nursing home placement, dementia and death.

Despite its impact, delirium is often overlooked. There are still many unanswered questions about how best to prevent, treat, and support those affected.

Shape the future of delirium research in the UK

• Open to UK residents aged 18+
•  Takes ~15 minutes
•  Option to stay involved or hear results

Help shape the future of research: Take part in the James Lind Alliance Delirium Survey Click here to take part  

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The course is aimed at clinicians such as nurses and allied health care professionals who have contact with people living with dementia in their working day. The training include classroom based training and simulation training using three scenarios looking at three different types of delirium, each with varying and different symptoms.  The teaching team includes an Admiral Nurse, frailty nurse, simulation officer and a volunteer acting as the patient.

During the simulation training the volunteer, acting as the patient, will act out different scenarios, covering the three different types of delirium. This gives participants the opportunity to apply the knowledge they’ve gained in the classroom based training and apply their critical thinking skills whilst responding to and complying with Trust values and policy:

• Gaining consent and capacity assessment with the ‘patient’ (initial introduction and taking physical observations)
• Constructing an assessment framework such as PINCH ME (Pain, Infection, Nutrition, Constipation, Hydration, Medication, Environment – a mnemonic used to teach clinical staff to look for obvious causes of delirium), 4AT assessment (a brief tool for delirium detection designed for use in clinical practice. It’s the standard tool for delirium detection in many countries.
• Looking at appropriate pain management (medicines assessment/ review to avoid constipation and sedation)
• Involvement of appropriate individuals (family/ carers) and appropriate use of the Getting to know me card (a card designed to be viewed by the bedside, containing some useful information about the person with dementia eg things that matter to the person, people who are important to them etc)
• Letting the ‘patient’ walk when they get up (walking with purpose vs restraint)
• Using the 4AT to determine new cognitive impairment

The clinicians who developed the training also developed a short video which is used a part of the training. The video looks at how to screen for and diagnose delirium and the Do’s and Don’ts in Delirium. It also includes the current screening for delirium in Bolton Hospital’s Emergency Department where all patients aged 65 or over are automatically screened for delirium ensure that the correct pathway is followed. The video is currently used in all types of teaching for various grades including nursing and medical staff. You can view the video here

As part of their visit the Singapore delegates visited Bolton Hospital to find out more about the training. They took part in creating a real life scenario that they might experience in practice but in a simulated setting. During the session they worked together to complete a full assessment and look after a patient with delirium.

The training to date has received very positive feedback and is currently the only one of a few simulation training programmes in Greater Manchester that focuses on delirium and dementia. Overall, ward managers and other colleagues who were spot checked a year they attended the training after felt that the training has improved their practice.

The feedback as part of the feedback for the simulation training has been very positive. It’s something very new for foundation trainees and it`s not the scenario they expect in simulation as they always suspect an emergency or a dying patient. It’s part of emphasising that delirium is a serious condition. They are surprised to hear the mortality is actually higher than myocardial infarction and sepsis. Dr Gopalakrishnan Deivasikamani, Consultant, Elderly Medicine, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust.

The hospital has noticed a marked increase in the “Getting to know me” cards being filled in and being placed on the patient’s bedside locker. There’s also been an increase in the number of clinical staff using 4AT.

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The issue came into sharper focus when the National Audit of Dementia identified our organisation as an outlier for three consecutive years. While the audit primarily measures delirium recognition and management in acute settings, it underscored the need for a more consistent, system-wide approach. Senior leaders recognised the urgency of the situation and took decisive action by creating a new role: Nurse Lead for Dementia and Delirium.

In July 2025, this commitment came to fruition with the launch of two new delirium pathways one for community services and one for hospital care. The pathways are comprehensive and include links to the GM delirium toolkits and related resources. Both were introduced during our inaugural Delirium Learning Event, a groundbreaking session designed to bring together multidisciplinary teams to share knowledge, best practice, and innovation. The event was such a success that it has now become a quarterly fixture in our calendar.

The three-hour learning event covers all aspects of delirium, from early recognition and prevention to management and post-delirium support. A key feature of the event is the group workshop, which enables staff to collaborate on developing practical ideas to improve patient outcomes. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating a clear increase in awareness and confidence in managing delirium across various clinical settings.

The Nurse Lead for Dementia and Delirium has been supported by two Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) based in the Frailty Unit and a Sister in the Emergency Department. These areas, often referred to as the “front door” of the hospital, are crucial in identifying and managing delirium early. Regular audits have been scheduled to monitor compliance and measure improvements in practice.

Our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) already had well-established guidelines for delirium management, but these had not been formalised into an organisational pathway. Work is now underway to develop an ITU-specific pathway aligned with national standards, ensuring a consistent approach across all care environments.

Some quick wins have already been achieved. Previously, staff lacked easy access to tools for assessing delirium. These resources are now widely available and actively used in practice. To support ongoing education, a short voice-recorded PowerPoint presentation has been developed and shared across clinical areas, allowing staff to access key learning in a flexible and engaging format. In addition, junior doctor training is now scheduled annually for each new intake to ensure they are familiar with the Trust’s delirium pathways from the outset.

While we recognise that there is still progress to be made, the foundations are firmly in place. We are optimistic that by the time of the National Audit of Dementia 2026, we will no longer be identified as an outlier—but rather as a Trust demonstrating excellence in delirium care.

Watch this space.

Kellie Smart, Dementia & Delirium Nurse Lead, Integrated Safeguarding Team, Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

The post Transforming delirium care appeared first on Dementia United.

You can find out how to get involved here: Young Onset Dementia Awareness Day, Dementia Forward, North Yorkshire’s leading dementia charity

Dementia UK and the Young Dementia Network have developed a young onset dementia care framework to help integrated care boards (ICBs) meet the unique needs of people with young onset dementia. The framework offers clear, evidence-based steps to deliver best practice care, including a gold standard care pathway providing guidance from diagnosis to end of life.

The framework can support care systems to deliver:

• faster, more accurate diagnoses
• integrated, age-appropriate support at every stage
• named young onset dementia leads within both the ICB and clinical services
• better outcomes and more efficient use of resources

You can view and download the Young Onset Dementia Framework here

During Dementia Action Week 2025 Manchester Women Together filmed an engaging conversation with Jacqui Cannon, Chief Executive of The Lewy Body Society, Dr Rebecca Marchmont and Sarah Kirkland, Senior Project Manager at Dementia United, who shared their personal and professional insights into young onset dementia. You can view the film here and find out more here

Working with a range of partners, stakeholders and lived experience members we’ve collated information from a range of external organisations for people affected by dementia in Greater Manchester, including people living with dementia, carers, and practitioners. The content includes resources about young onset and rarer forms of dementia. Young-Onset-and-Rarer-Forms-of-Dementia-Collated-National-Resources-October-2024.docx

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