Dementia Action Week

Advocacy with people living with dementia - It’s the long view that matters

Supporting people with dementia through advocacy isn’t usually about one big conversation or a quick decision. It’s about being there over time. It’s about turning up, building trust, and finding ways to help someone stay involved in decisions about their life - even when things start to feel more difficult.

At Your Voice Counts, we work alongside people living with dementia in lots of different situations. Sometimes that’s during care assessments, safeguarding concerns, or support reviews. Sometimes it’s just helping someone feel heard when the world around them moves too fast or isn’t making sense.

One thing we’ve learned is this: good advocacy meets people where they are - and stays flexible when that changes.

We might not always get clear answers straight away. We might need to explain things more than once or slow the conversation right down. That’s okay. We don’t rush. We listen carefully. We take our time.

Often, we also support family members and professionals to really understand the person’s views, especially if their memory is changing. We help everyone around the person focus on what matters most to them - what they enjoy, what makes them feel safe, and what helps them stay in control.

Sometimes our support means:

• using pictures or simple words to make things clearer

• meeting somewhere familiar

• gently repeating things, always with kindness

• speaking up if something doesn’t feel right

These small actions can make a big difference. Over time, they build connection and trust. And that trust helps people feel more confident, more included, and more respected.

What advocacy offers in dementia care is not just a voice -it’s continuity. It’s someone who remembers what matters, even if others forget. It’s someone who stays with the person’s story, even as the details start to fade.

We might not always see big changes straight away. But the care, the respect, the patience -it adds up. It helps people feel valued. And it helps systems do better, too.

This Dementia Action Week, we’re proud to keep showing up - because every voice counts, and everyone deserves to be part of the conversation. Many of us at Your Voice Counts have  joined the movement and become Dementia Friends. It’s a simple but powerful way to learn more about dementia and the small things we can all do to help people living with it feel understood and supported.

Want to join us? www.dementiafriends.org.uk.

For more information about our advocacy services, visit www.yvc.org.uk/advocacy.