Dementia Adviser

A dementia diagnosis can change many things, but it should never mean losing independence, identity or connection to the things that matter most.

At Alzheimer’s Society, we believe that with the right support, people living with dementia can continue to live meaningful, fulfilling lives in the communities they know and love. As a Dementia Adviser, you will play an important part in making that possible.

This is a role built on conversations, trust and understanding. You might meet someone soon after their diagnosis and help them make sense of what lies ahead. You might reassure a carer who is feeling overwhelmed. Or you might bring people together through our Singing for the Brain group, creating moments of joy, connection and confidence.

Every journey with dementia is different, so the support you offer will always be shaped by the individual. You will listen carefully, understand what matters most to each person and help them find the information, services and confidence they need to move forward.

This is a home based role, but much of your time will be spent out in the community across County Durham, meeting people face to face and building relationships with local services. The county is divided into five areas based on the former District Councils and you will mainly support people within one of these areas. Being able to travel independently is essential.

Location: Community based across County Durham with some home working
Working hours: 21 hours per week

About the role

As a Dementia Adviser, you will be a trusted source of guidance and support for people living with dementia and those who care for them. Your work will help people feel more confident, informed and able to make decisions about their lives.

You will:

• Provide person centred, outcomes focused information, advice and support to people living with dementia and their carers
• Support people to work towards their personal goals, whether that is maintaining independence, improving wellbeing or accessing the right services
• Offer support in ways that suit each individual, including home visits, phone calls, video calls, email and community meetings
• Signpost and refer people to other relevant services and sources of support
• Build strong relationships with professionals such as GPs, memory clinics and health and social care teams
• Promote the service within the community through events, partnership working and awareness sessions
• Facilitate a monthly Singing for the Brain group, helping people connect through music and shared experience
• Maintain accurate records using internal systems and digital tools

About you

We are looking for someone who is compassionate, approachable and motivated by the opportunity to make a genuine difference in people’s lives.

You will ideally bring:

• A genuine passion for supporting people to maintain independence and live well
• An understanding of dementia and the needs of people living with it and their carers, or experience supporting people with other health or support needs
• Strong communication skills and the ability to adapt your approach for different people and situations
• The ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of professionals and community partners
• Confidence using IT systems, databases and virtual meeting platforms such as Teams or Zoom
• Experience or confidence in facilitating small group sessions
• The ability to travel independently across the local area when required

If you are someone who values empathy, respect and the power of community support, this role offers the opportunity to help people navigate one of life’s most challenging moments while continuing to focus on what matters most to them.

Interviews will take place on 2nd April via Microsoft Teams.

Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.