Celebrating the first anniversary of Lincolnshire dementia charity, Bob’s Brainwaves

Bob’s Brainwaves, the Louth-based charity dedicated to supporting people with dementia and their families, celebrates its first anniversary this week.

And what a busy first year it’s been! Since launching on 31 January 2024, the charity has reached thousands of people across Lincolnshire and nationally, providing vital resources and a sense of connection during one of life’s most challenging journeys.

Listen to our Bob’s Brainwaves podcast!

Ahead of the anniversary celebrations, Alison and Gavin from the It’s All About People Team headed to Louth to record a Podcast with Bob’s Brainwaves founder Chris Suich, and Age-Friendly Communities Officer for East Lindsey District Council, Jane Berni. Jane is also the Secretary of the Bob's Brainwaves charity.

Recorded in Chris’s conservatory, this podcast draws on Chris, Jane, and Gavin's personal experiences of supporting people with dementia and how Bob’s Brainwaves has proved so valuable.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: It’s All About People Personalisation Programme Podcast_Episode 36_Bob’s Brainwaves and Dementia Care with Chris and Jane

Jane (left) and Chris (centre) from Bob's Brainwaves and Alison and Gavin from the It's All About People Team post-podcast!

About Bob’s Brainwaves

Bob’s Brainwaves was founded by Chris Suich, whose husband Bob was diagnosed with amnesia when he was just 59, and later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. 

Chris drew on her experience both as a teacher and as Bob’s carer to create a free resource pack for new carers at the point of diagnosis.

Chris:

“The idea of a handy help pack is a simple one, but as a carer myself I knew what was most useful to help others navigate the system.

I remember that feeling of sheer bewilderment and being alone when my husband Bob first got his diagnosis, and I was driven to support others on their journey.

So, I started to put together a resource pack to help answer all those questions I had spent hours searching for with little support.

I worked with a wide range of carers, and we have put everything that we found useful in the pack to help lighten the load, and to save time and energy and stress for others supporting loved ones, and we continue to adapt the contents regularly.

Over the last year, we have had amazing support from our community in terms of feedback and donations. Our NHS partners and other charity groups have worked with us to promote the packs and get them to the people who really need them, the earlier the better.

We’re working tirelessly to extend the availability of the Bob’s Brainwaves resources to Memory Cafes, Memory Clinics, and other key locations across the county. We’re established in East Lindsey and West Lindsey and very soon will be in Boston too. But our plan is to extend to the whole of Lincolnshire, area by area, and then nationally.”

The Bob's Brainwaves resources

The Bob’s Brainwaves pack is free and includes resources and activities to support a person with dementia to live at home for longer, as well as the information, guidance, and forms  - practical, emotional, financial, and legal - needed to manage the care of a loved one.  Making these resources available ‘in one place’ provides an invaluable practical resource for those contending with a dementia diagnosis.

Bob’s Brainwaves also offer free dementia-friendly signage created in collaboration with Widgit, a company specialising in symbols-based communication.

Find out more about Bob's Brainwaves and get involved!

To find out more, visit Bob's Brainwaves | Support for dementia patients and their carers

If you wish to work with or support Bob's Brainwaves, or share these valuable resources where you are, contact the charity directly: Contact Bob's Brainwaves