Charity Dementia UK Launches New Admiral Nurse Clinic to Support Chinese Families
Dementia UK — the dementia specialist nurse charity — has launched a first-of-its-kind Admiral Nurse Clinic, to specifically support families living with dementia from the London Chinese communities across the five London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Camden, Tower Hamlets and Westminster.
The pilot service has been delivered in collaboration with the Chinese Welfare Trust, a charity dedicated to meeting the needs of elderly Chinese people living in the UK. It will be available to people living with dementia and their carers who are of Chinese or South East Asian origin and are experiencing complex needs relating to dementia.
Dementia UK is the only charity dedicated to helping families face dementia through their specialist dementia nurses, called Admiral Nurses, who provide life-changing support and guidance for families affected by all forms of dementia.
It is estimated that there are 25,000 people currently living with dementia from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups, which includes the Chinese community in England and Wales.1 Getting the best support can sometimes be more challenging for families living with dementia from the Chinese community, because of the stigma surrounding the condition and the lack of culturally appropriate dementia resources and services.
Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and Chief Executive at Dementia UK, said:
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Chinese Welfare Trust to deliver this landmark Admiral Nurse Clinics service. We know that people from the Chinese community continue to face barriers when accessing support and are more likely to be in crisis when they do.
“The last few years have placed increasing pressure on local dementia services, leaving many struggling and unable to cope. It is critical that we have more Admiral Nurses that understand the unique challenges experienced by families with dementia, to support families from underserved communities.
“We are pleased to welcome Emily Ka-Hei Lui to the Admiral Nurse team and look forward to watching her excel in this role.”
Admiral Nurse Emily Ka-Hei Lui, who is leading the new Clinics service, has experience of supporting families living with dementia from the Chinese community in Hong Kong. She can speak Cantonese and Mandarin and will be able to offer tailored health advice and emotional support to families.
Emily Ka-Hei Lui, Clinics Admiral Nurse, said:
“I’m proud to be taking on the role of Clinics Admiral Nurse to deliver Dementia UK’s first specialist dementia service to support an ethnic minority in the UK. There is a real taboo around dementia in Chinese and South East Asian cultures. I want to tackle the stigma and help families living with dementia understand that there is a lot that we can do through specialist dementia care which can help families take back control.”
Eddie Chan, Co-Chair at Chinese Welfare Trust, said:
“We’re pleased to collaborate with Dementia UK and work with Admiral Nurse Emily to support families living with dementia from the Chinese community. Through this service, we hope that a better future for the Chinese community in the UK will be created.”
