New Dementia Advice Service for North Hampshire

Bluebird Care welcomes the region’s first Dementia Care Adviser.

Hundreds of people across Basingstoke & Deane and Hart are set to benefit from enhanced specialist dementia care services as we welcome the region’s first Dementia Care Adviser.

Tamsin Hudson will work on behalf of Bluebird Care North Hampshire & West Berkshire to provide advice and support to individuals who have recently received a dementia diagnosis. 

From receiving a diagnosis to end of life care, the care team at Bluebird Care support families at different stages of their dementia journey. They know first-hand how difficult it can be for people with dementia and their friends and loved ones to know the best ways to cope with different situations, and to navigate the many different support options available in the local area.

Dementia Care Adviser Tamsin, who has previously worked in a charity in Oxfordshire as a Dementia Adviser, will work closely with people with dementia and their carers across North Hampshire & West Berkshire, giving tailored guidance to help them to live well at home. Through adapting living spaces, or sharing tips about communication and reducing distress, Tamsin’s specialist advice will train people in the community to be better equipped to support those with the condition.

Tamsin developed her specialism in dementia care after her mother’s diagnosis in 2012. Without a dedicated guide to navigate everything that a dementia diagnosis entails, from accessing Carers’ Allowance to interacting with those with dementia, Tamsin educated herself through a series of professional qualifications to make her time with her mother as enjoyable as possible. 

Seeing how much this knowledge improved her mother’s quality of life as she lived with dementia, Tamsin resolved to support others in similar situations, leaving her job in HR to apply her experience and training to the new challenge. With over 1,600 over-65-year-olds estimated to have dementia in West Berkshire alone, connecting people to support and making sure they have access to personalised advice is more important than ever.

Tamsin will now be bringing her specialist expertise to over 100 people and families across North Hampshire and West Berkshire. Tamsin also runs Age Concern’s Dementia Café in Newbury to support people with fulfilling activities and companionship in the local area.

Tamsin Hudson, Dementia Adviser for Bluebird Care North Hampshire & West Berkshire, said: 
“I am delighted to have been asked to be Bluebird Care’s Dementia Adviser, and can’t wait to share insights from both my professional training and my lived experiences with dementia. Whether it be offering practical advice or simply emotional support, I hope that my guidance will provide the encouragement and support that both customers and carers need to thrive in the face of a dementia diagnosis.”

Phil Miles, Director at Bluebird Care North Hampshire & West Berkshire, said: 
“We are delighted to welcome Tamsin to our team. This appointment reflects a commitment to our strategy to deliver bespoke, premium care in people’s own homes across North Hampshire and West Berkshire. Tamsin’s wealth of experience and knowledge in Dementia Care ensures that we have the skills and knowledge within Bluebird Care not only to keep our customers safe at home but to ensure they can live as independently as possible in the home and community they love.”