Our partner Dementia UK
Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nursing charity. Its specialist nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, provide free, tailored advice and support so no one faces dementia alone. Free dementia clinics to see an Admiral Nurse are available across 200 of our branches.
Supporting people affected by dementia
1 in 2 people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime. Whether by caring for someone with the diagnosis, developing it themselves or both. It often leaves people feeling overwhelmed and alone, pushed to their emotional, physical and financial limits. That’s why in 2024, Nationwide Fairer Futures partnered with Dementia UK.
In this video, Penny shares her experience of caring for her mother – who lives with dementia.
If you would like to learn more about Dementia UK, or you are living with dementia and need help and support, visit the Dementia UK website (opens in a new window).
Show transcript
[00:01]
Music starts
Visual of a lady walking her 2 dogs in a field of buttercups.
'One in two people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime.'
'Nationwide has partnered with Dementia UK to give families access to specialist support in their darkest moments.'
[00:14]
Visual of Penny sat in a chair next to a table with some yellow flowers.
Penny: So my name's Penny and my mum Rosemary, has dementia.
Visual of some photo's on a sideboard of Penny and her family.
[00:19]
Photo of Penny and Rosemary playing the piano together when Penny was a young girl.
Penny: Mum played the piano all the time when I was growing up,
[00:22]
Penny: It's one of my earliest memories.
Visual of Penny playing the piano alone.
[00:25]
Visual of Rosemary when she was younger, enjoying some time on the beach.
Penny: Before dementia, she was
[00:29]
Visuals show photo's of Penny with her mum and dad.
Penny: the most fun-loving, chatty person you could know.
She was a music teacher,
[00:33]
Penny: she met my dad and they married and moved out to the countryside of Oxfordshire.
[00:38]
Visual of Penny looking through a photo album.
Penny: The first time I noticed something was wrong, was when my dad died.
[00:42]
was when my dad died.
Visual of Penny walking her two dogs across the field. There is a church in the background.
Penny: She used to think that she was collecting us from school,
[00:45]
and she'd set the table for tea and she just became quite muddled
towards the end of the day.
[00:52]
Visual of Penny sat at the table talking.
Penny: I just really found it hard to watch her doing that.
[01.03]
Visual of a field of buttercups. Words the screen saying 'Rosemary was diagnosed with mixed dementia.'
Rosemary walking in the field.
Penny: After the diagnosis, we had no support at all,
[01:05]
so we really just had to face it on our own.
We discussed it all very early on,
[01:10]
she wanted to be at home and just be the person she always was,
[01:14]
because the day you get your diagnosis,
[01:16]
it doesn't change who you are.
[01:34]
Visual wording 'Rosemary and Penny were supported by Dementia UK's specialist Admiral Nurses.'
We view a recording of Rosemary playing the piano.
Penny: We reached a point where Mum wasn't coping at home.
Visual of Rosemary's home.
[01:37]
Penny: I wasn't able to keep her safe anymore.
[01:40]
Visual of Penny in the kitchen, arranging some flowers in a vase.
Penny: I found out about the Dementia UK helpline
and called up and spoke to a specialist Dementia Admiral Nurse,
[01:47]
Visual of Penny talking at the table, then playing the piano.
Penny: who was absolutely lovely and gave me so much support.
[01:52]
Not just practical support, but also emotional support to help me
[01:56]
recognise that it was ok to feel how I was feeling.
Visual of a dining room with the two dogs in the room. The words on the screen say 'The specialist nurse supported Penny with Rosemary's dementia, including the transition into a care home.'
[02:05]
Visual of Penny and Rosemary playing the piano together.
Penny: It's very difficult, she lives in her own world.
[02:10]
Penny: She doesn't always know who I am.
[02:13]
Visual of Rosemary sitting next to her 3 grandchildren. They are all smiling, holding her hands.
Penny: But, I feel like she would be hopefully proud of
[02:18]
Visual of Penny sat talking at the table. Her tone of voice is very upset as she speaks.
Penny: the decisions I've made for her.
[02:23]
Penny: That's what I think, she would be proud.
[2.30]
Visual of a blue branded screen with the words 'The Nationwide Fairer Futures programme will fund specialist support and advice for 100,000 people living with dementia and their carers...
Recording of Rosemary playing the piano, with the words on screen showing '...so that people like Rosemary and Penny never have to face the condition alone.'
Recording of Rosemary looking at the camera as her playing the piano ends.
Music ends. Screen fades and the Nationwide Fairer Futures logo appears followed by Dementia UK, Helping families face dementia.
How Fairer Futures has made a difference so far
Through our funding:
88% of people
that received support said it made a difference to their ability to take better care of the person with dementia.
Over 5,900
people accessed help through clinics held in Nationwide branches.
40,354
people living with dementia and their carers were supported by specialist Dementia UK Admiral Nurses.
100,000 people living with dementia, and their carers, will receive specialist care and guidance. Support comes from Admiral Nurses and trained Nationwide colleagues. We aim to empower people to have the best life possible.
Dementia clinics in our branches
Free, life-changing support for people affected by dementia.
Dementia UK is offering face-to-face clinics with an Admiral Nurse in Nationwide branches. Appointments are held in a private space. People with dementia or carers don’t have to be Nationwide members to access this service.
Book a free confidential appointment for advice and support including:
- getting a diagnosis
- understanding symptoms and changes in behaviour
- practical tips for carers
- choosing a home or residential care
- emotional support
How Fairer Futures and Dementia UK helped Jane and her husband
Jane’s husband was diagnosed with mixed dementia in 2021. They have been married for 45 years. Her nearest Nationwide branch is in her town centre, meaning it is easy to get to and is very visible in the community.
Funding Dementia UK Admiral Nurses and core services across communities
Since 2024, Nationwide Fairer Futures has funded an additional 30 experienced, compassionate dementia specialist nurses. They offer practical solutions and emotional support to families who often have nowhere else to turn.
With our charity partnership, the Admiral Nurse programme includes:
Branch clinics
Funding for 18 Admiral Nurses to hold in-person clinics in Nationwide branches across the UK.
Core services
Funding for 10 Admiral Nurses who run the telephone helpline and virtual clinics supporting more people who are in urgent need of advice.
Dementia at Work
Funding for 2 Dementia UK Admiral Nurses who have been embedded into the workplace at Nationwide for the duration of the partnership. These Admiral Nurses provide virtual clinics to Nationwide colleagues and deliver training and resources that benefit both customers and colleagues.
Donate to Dementia UK
Make a donation on the Dementia UK website to help ensure no one faces dementia alone.
Nationwide Fairer Futures charity partners
Our charity partners also include Action for Children, Centrepoint and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Working with our charity partners, we are helping to tackle some of the biggest issues we see in society today. We will make a difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Centrepoint – tackling youth homelessness
Every 4 minutes, a young person faces homelessness.
Young people deserve to have a safe place to call home where they can rebuild their lives and move towards a better future.
Action for Children – helping families living in poverty
31% of children in the UK are living in poverty.
Action for Children helps families through crisis, and campaigns for an end to child poverty and hardship.
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity – supporting people affected by cancer
1 in 2 of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime.
We want to support people affected by cancer in the best possible way. That's why we've partnered with The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity with the aim to achieve breakthroughs in cancer treatment.