A DEMENTIA charity is in danger of losing its carers’ service after failing to secure enough pledges to guarantee its future.
Barnsley Independent Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support launched it’s Here Today, Gone Tomorrow appeal in April to raise money to continue its vital carer support service.
But so far, it has not managed to secure sufficient pledges to guarantee the safety of the service.
The service offers both telephone and face-to-face support to carers and at any one time, the two carer support workers, Jacky Phelan and Lesley Parkes, can be helping 200 families in Barnsley.
They are the first point of contact a carer has with BIADS and it is their job to put them at ease and provide advice and support. Many will go on to have telephone support every five to six weeks.
A spokesman for BIADS said: “Caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, frustrating, distressing and at times can appear hopeless. Having BIADS’ carer support team on hand to offer advice, information or to just listen at the end of the telephone can make a massive difference to a carer’s life.
“Carers tell us that this service is their lifeline, their security blanket and that they don’t know where they would be without it.”
The charity ran a similar appeal in 2015 after being told by the CCG that funding would run out. The CCG later agreed to fund the service for another year.
But BIADS found itself in a similar position when funding ran out in May last year
and although money was raised to keep the service afloat, BIADS said it could not find funding to carry on much longer.
This led to the Here Today, Gone Tomorrow campaign.
BIADS is looking for a pledge of £10 a month which equates to only 33p a day, which would create sufficient funds to make sure people in Barnsley whose lives are affected by dementia can continue to access much-needed help and support required.
Contact 280057 or e-mail biads@btconnect.com.
