Dementia UK and the Sid Valley’s Admiral Nurse have teamed for an awareness week.

It begins on Sunday, May 14, and aims to encourage people to tackle stigmas around memory loss and to encourage them to seek help.

Heidi Crook is the first dementia specialist in Devon following a £100,000 campaign was succesfully launched by the Sid Valley Memory Café in partnership with the Herald.

Heidi said: “The main aim is to make people aware I am here to support the carer of the person with dementia through emotional support, practical advice and through diagnosis, changing relationships and loss at end of life.

“If people would like to see me, they need to go to their GP and they can refer up to me.

“There are some people that find it very difficult to talk about memory problems.

“We know there are things that we can do to help. We haven’t got a cure and there are things that can help, so they aren’t going through it alone.”

Rachel Johnstone, business development officer for Dementia UK, said the charity is committed to increasing the number of Admiral Nurses across Devon to help more families receive care and support.

She said: “A greater awareness and understanding of dementia in the community, coupled with specialist dementia support from an Admiral Nurse, can help families to feel that they are not facing dementia alone and help reduce the stigma that stops many families from reaching out.

“A diagnosis of dementia is given not just to one person – but it impacts upon the whole family. This is why families desperately need access to an Admiral Nurse following a diagnosis, so that they get the quality care and practical and emotional support they need to face the challenges of tomorrow with more confidence and less fear.”