Demand is soaring for dementia home care in Wiltshire, with Alzheimer’s Support making a record 388 home visits last week.

The charity is seeing increased calls for home support and referrals, which dipped by two-thirds during the start of lockdown, are back to normal levels.

However, it has vacancies in day clubs for the first time in many years.

The charity is recruiting support workers to spend quality time with people living with dementia either in their home or on outings.

And it says care experience is not as important as kindness, life experience and empathy.

Annette Decarteret’s said her mother Mary had become happier and more outgoing thanks to her support worker.

She said: “Since Mandy has been looking after my mum she has become much more confident about leaving the house and is talking so much more about the future.

“We are extremely lucky to have Mandy looking after mum and dad and feel that the struggles we were having last year have been replaced by rainbows and sunshine.”

Babs Harris, Alzheimer’s Support CEO said: “We have always known our services make an enormous difference to people’s wellbeing and our support workers are a crucial part of that.

“It’s very rewarding work. After all, how many people can say their job brings sunshine into a family’s life?”

While demand is increasing for Home Support, another effect of lockdown has meant that its day clubs have seen a fall in numbers.

A survey by the charity on the effects of lockdown in Wiltshire showed that 70 per cent of people with dementia experienced more rapidly-worsening symptoms.

Some members of the charity’s day clubs have moved into full time care, and for the first time since it opened there are vacancies at the national award-winning Old Silk Works Club in Warminster.

To find out more about joining the club, or becoming a support worker, go to www.alzheimerswiltshire.org.uk