INFORMATION CHECKLIST 

Financial

Disability Living Allowance A benefit paid to people who need help either with personal care or with mobility or both. It is paid at several permutations, is non means tested and applicable to people under the age of 65. 

Invalid Care Allowance A benefit paid to the carer of someone in receipt of Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance. The carer must be under 65 and the benefit is means tested. However, it is often advisable to claim the benefit even if means testing means that no payment is actually made, as it allows for National Insurance contributions to be made on the carers behalf. 

Statutory Sick Pay/Incapacity Benefit Payable to people unable to work due to ill health. 

Severe Disablement Allowance Payable to people who have been incapable of work for at least 28 weeks but who do not have enough National Insurance contributions to qualify for incapacity benefit. 

Further information on the above benefits is available from the Benefits Enquiry Line: 0800 882200 or the Benefits Agency website www.dss.gov.uk/ba/index.htm

Council Tax Benefit A means tested benefit which can be claimed in households where someone claims Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance or Invalid Care Allowance. A form can be obtained from the local Town Hall.

N.B. We usually advise people to consider very carefully the options available to them in terms of sick pay/early retirement/redundancy. It is sometimes worth seeking professional financial advice in order to establish which option provides the best financial deal.

LEGAL 

With an ordinary Power of Attorney, one person [the donor] gives another person [the attorney] legal authority to manage their affairs. This authority becomes invalid if the donor becomes mentally incapable. However, under the Enduring Power of Attorney Act, the attorney can deal with the donor's affairs should he/she become mentally incapable. Enduring Power of Attorney must be made whilst the donor has insight into what is entailed. By establishing an Enduring Power of Attorney, the involvement of the Court of Protection can be avoided. 

Further information is available from: The Enquiries and Applications Branch, Public Trust Office, Protection Division, Stewart House, 24 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6JX . The Public Trust Office website is at www.publictrust.gov.uk/

Driving

There is a responsibility for people with dementia [or their carer] to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency [DVLA] of their diagnosis. The address is Drivers Medical Unit, D6, DVLA, Longview Road, Swansea, SA99 1TU. Tel. 01792 783 686. If they refuse, a medical practitioner may inform the DVLA directly. The driving insurance company should also be informed of the diagnosis.

It is usually possible for the Medical Advisory Branch of the DVLA to decide whether you should be allowed to continue driving from the information provided by you and the GP or hospital consultant. It may be necessary to take a free driving test conducted by the Driving Standards Agency. It may be possible to issue yearly licences, renewed in consultation with the medical practitioner.

DVLA website www.open.gov.uk/dvla/dvla.htm

VOLUNTARY AND STATUTORY SUPPORT AGENCIES

In addition, carers are entitled to a carer's assessment. This is also arranged through a social worker. The Carer's National Association has a step-by-step guide called How do I get help? A carer's guide to assessments. Phone the Carersline on 0345 573 396 (Mon-Fri 10-12 and 2-4) and ask for a free copy.

An orange (disability) badge can be obtained from your social services department (blue EU badge from January 2000).

Community Psychiatric Nurse Support people with mental health problems and their families in the community. They advise on emotional and behavioural problems and on ways of caring. Referrals are made through the patient's GP.

Community Nurse Help by providing practical nursing care at home.Referrals are made through the patient's GP.

Any of the above professionals may function as a key worker for the statutory services. 

Admiral Nurses are available in some areas of London and Kent, as a support to you caring for your relative / friend. your GP should be able to refer you if the Admiral Nurse service is operating in your area.

Alzheimer's Disease Society provides support through a network of branches, support groups and contact people. A wide range of services are available, ranging from day centres and sitting services to information and advice. The Society publishes booklets and factsheets on a variety of topics. The ADS campaigns on behalf of people with Alzheimer's disease for adequate benefits and for recognition of the rights of patients and their carers. It also supports research into the disease. For more information phone the helpline on 0845 300 0336 Mon to Fri. 8am to 6pm.

Carer ID Cards We often suggest that carers carry some form of identification. If anything should happen to them, people will be alerted to the fact that they are caring for someone who may require assistance.

Carers National Association aims to encourage carers to recognise their own needs, to provide information and advice, to campaign for carers and to develop appropriate support for carers. The have a range of useful publications, including an information pack for Young Carers. For more information phone the Carersline on 0345 573 396 (Mon-Fri 10-12 and 2-4).

Citizens Advice Bureau have welfare rights workers who offer advice on benefits and enduring power of attorney. They may also have information on grants available for adaptations that you may need in your house. You will find the address of your local CAB in the Yellow Pages or you can search the CAB website

CANDID [Counselling ANd Diagnosis in Dementia] is a general advice and information service, accessed by telephone and electronic mail. The service is aimed particularly but not exclusively at people with young onset dementia, aiming to increase accessibility to advice, diagnosis and counselling for patients, their families and involved health professionals. For more information contact: CANDID, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG. Tel: 020 7829 8772 Fax: 020 7209 0182 Email:candid@dementia.ion.ucl.ac.uk

Crossroads runs about 200 care attendant schemes throughout the UK in partnership with health authorities and local social services. Trained care attendants undertake those activities which the carer would normally carry out, giving the carer a break. For more information contact: Association of Crossroads Care Attendant Schemes, 10 Regent Place, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 2PN Tel: 01788 565498

Holiday Care Service is a source of holiday and travel information and support for people with disabilities. They have a database on all aspects of accessible tourism and travel in the UK and overseas. They also have a database of respite care facilities in the UK which offer short term stays for disabled people with or without their carers. They can be contacted on 01293 774 535

Winged Fellowship organise special holiday weeks for people with dementia and their carers. Volunteers are on hand to help with caring and enable carers to have a break. For more information contact: Winged Fellowship, Angel House, 20-32 Pentonville Rd, London, N1 9XD Tel: 020 7833 2594. Website www.wft.org.uk/index.htm

Medic Alert sells identity bracelets/pendants which can be worn by anybody suffering from a chronic illness. As well as displaying the wearer's name the pendant holds a code which allows authorities such as the police or a hospital to access the wearers Medic Alert file and gain information regarding his/her medical condition. For more information contact: 12 Bridge Wharf, 156 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9UU Tel: 020 7833 3034 

Pick's Disease Support Group Provides support to carers of patients with a range of the rarer dementia diagnoses including: Cortical Lewy Body Disease, Focal Degeneration, Frontal Lobe Degeneration, Korsakoff Syndrome and Pick's Disease. 

For further information visit their website at: http://www.pdsg.org.uk/, or contact Miss Penelope Roques, Secretary on 01923 822700 E-mail: penelope@pdsg.org.uk; Mrs Carole Jennings, Counsellor on 0116 2711414 E-mail: carol@pdsg.org.uk; David Hunter, Chairman on 01695 624781 E-mail: david@pdsg.org.uk

Prion Unit The Prion Clinic at St Mary's Hospital, London has been set up to provide a clinical service for patients with suspected Prion disease. Referral is by GP or hospital doctor.

Respite Care Pre arranged care is provided in order to give the carer a break. It may be on a regular or a one off basis. This may be provided in the home or in a hospital or nursing home. For more information on respite care in your area speak to a GP or Social Worker.

Safety Devices Dementia can impair a person's ability to take responsibility for their own actions and affects their sense of judgement. Precautions can be taken to make the environment safer: smoke alarms/gas detectors/adequate lighting/handrails etc. may all help. A social worker can recommend safety measures to be taken during the assessment of need, and may know of any grants available to pay for them. Alternatively, the Citizens Advice Bureau may have information on grants, phone number in Yellow Pages.