Dementia assessment

Sometimes, families or professionals need advice or another opinion on how to best meet the healthcare needs of someone with dementia.

The support we offer

Often, an assessment of the healthcare needs of someone with dementia can only be done in hospital. Our assessment service offers an alternative, community-based setting.

This can be useful for people who don’t need to be in hospital, or who are being treated under the Mental Health Act and require specialist mental health assessment in a 24-hour, in-patient nursing setting.

Usually people stay for an assessment period of up to 12 weeks. During this period, we work with the family and other care agencies involved to develop a plan, which will hopefully enable the person to return home, or to their current care home.

Our facilities

We are based in Blaydon in Gateshead, within easy reach of public transport links and amenities.

Our building is well-equipped to meet the healthcare needs of the people we care for, and we work hard to keep things as homely and relaxed as possible. There are a number of separate lounge and dining areas, fully-assisted baths and wet rooms, and a coffee bar and games room.

We are careful about how we furnish and decorate Briarwood, to get the right balance between being safe, secure, and easy to find your way around, as well as being a pleasant and relaxing place to be.

Our team

Our team of mental health nurses and support workers are specialists in dementia care and passionate about what they do.

We specifically choose our colleagues not just for their skills, but for their personal qualities such as warmth, optimism, and a natural desire to help others.

Between us, we have decades of experience and knowledge in assessing and meeting the needs of people with dementia.