Help and support near you

Call if someone's life is at risk, they are badly hurt, or they have gone missing.

Urgent medical help when your GP is closed or you are not sure where to go. This is also how you reach the Wirral GP out-of-hours service.

Talk to a local mental health worker in a crisis. For all ages. You can call for yourself or someone else.

Someone to listen, whatever you are going through.

Free text support if you are struggling to cope.

A calm, safe place to go in person if you are 18 or over and in distress. Family or carers can bring someone. 2a Price Street, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead CH41 6JN.

The front door to adult social care. Help at home, carers' assessments, and reporting abuse or neglect of an adult.

A nurse, therapist or social worker visits at home, fast, when someone gets suddenly worse, has a fall or is more confused. Helps avoid a hospital stay. Also helps unpaid carers in crisis.

Adult social care and safeguarding if you live in Ellesmere Port or elsewhere in Cheshire West.

The first step if you are worried about memory. Your GP can check for other causes and refer you to the memory service.

Help for patients with dementia and their families in hospital. Carers can visit outside normal visiting times (John's Campaign). Ask for a Carer's Passport. The Dementia Matron can help with worries. Memory café outside Ward 27, Thursdays 2pm to 3pm, with hospital, WIRED and Age UK staff.

Help with continence problems and pads. Ask your GP or community nurse to refer you.

Free sight tests if you are 60 or over. An optician can visit at home if you cannot go out alone.

Home visits, training and equipment for people with serious sight loss. You do not need to be registered as blind.

Hearing loss can make memory problems seem worse. See your GP. Some pharmacies and opticians offer free hearing tests.

Advice and support for anyone affected by any type of dementia.

One-to-one help from a dementia adviser, face to face, by phone or in writing.

Specialist dementia nurses give advice on any part of dementia, including hard days and changes in behaviour. You can also book a free phone or video appointment.

Free advice for older people on money, care, housing and more.

A friendly chat for older people, day or night. Good if you feel lonely.

Free booklets about dementia, and how to take part in research. They do not give care advice.

Support groups and advice for rarer types of dementia, such as frontotemporal dementia or posterior cortical atrophy. Email is the quickest way to reach them.

Information for people affected by dementia with Lewy bodies.

Find groups and services for people diagnosed under 65. The Admiral Nurse Helpline above can also help.

An online community for people affected by young onset dementia. It points you to support but does not run services.

The main carers' service for the Wirral. Advice, a listening ear, carer registration, an emergency contact card, and help to look after your own health.

Free groups to meet other carers, including Wallasey, West Kirby drop-in, crafts in Birkenhead and carers' yoga.

If you care for someone, you have a right to an assessment of your own needs. It can lead to breaks, day care or help at home. You can fill it in online.

Advice on carers' rights, benefits and getting help. Wirral carers get free access to Carers UK's online tools, including the Jointly app. Use code DGTL2844.

Practical and emotional support for people caring for someone with dementia.

Day care so carers can have a break. Groups for over 65s at Birkenhead and Bromborough, an Active Minds group for early stages, and an under 65s group. There is a charge.

Short stays for people with dementia in Bromborough, so carers can rest.

Support for unpaid carers who live in Ellesmere Port and Cheshire West.

Money for people over State Pension age who need help with care. It is not means-tested.

Money if you care for someone for at least 35 hours a week.

Extra money for people over State Pension age on a low income. A family member can call for you.

A person with severe dementia may not be counted for Council Tax. Their carer may not be counted either. You need a doctor's certificate and certain benefits.

Parking closer to where you need to go. Dementia alone does not qualify, but you may qualify if walking causes great distress. Someone can apply for you.

Free advice on benefits, debt, housing and more. Also drop-in sessions around the Wirral. Age UK Wirral is part of the same Ask Us Wirral service.

Advice if you cannot get through locally.

Choose someone you trust to make decisions for you if you cannot. It is best done early, while the person can still decide.

If the person can no longer make decisions and there is no Lasting Power of Attorney, you can apply to the court to help manage their affairs.

Short-term help to get back on your feet, and an occupational therapy assessment for equipment such as grab rails and shower seats. Equipment and small changes are free if you are eligible.

Delivers, repairs and collects equipment on loan from the council or NHS. Call if loaned equipment breaks or is no longer needed.

Checks your risk of falling, then home exercises and classes to build strength and balance. You can refer yourself.

Personal alarms and sensors so help can come at any time, day or night.

A form you fill in now, about the person with dementia. If they go missing, give it to the police so the search can start sooner.

Free fire safety advice at home. Many people over 65 can get free smoke alarms fitted. You can ask for a check for yourself, a relative or a neighbour.

By law you must tell DVLA about a dementia diagnosis. It does not always mean you have to stop driving.

A form kept in a bottle in the fridge, so paramedics can find medical details and emergency contacts quickly.

Free delivery of books, large print and audiobooks to your door if you cannot get to a library. Carers can use it too.

The council's online directory of local groups and services, searchable by area.

Friendly cafés with food, company and drop-in advice. Marine Lake Health and Wellbeing Centre, West Kirby (9am to 4.30pm) and St Catherine's Health Centre, Birkenhead (8am to 2.45pm).

A safe garden in Birkenhead with a pretend pub, record shop, cinema and café. Carers can bring the person they care for.

Films with the lights kept a little up, no adverts and refreshments first. Tickets £5, carer goes free. A carer or friend must come too. See The Light's website for dates.

Free drop-in groups where someone reads aloud and people chat. No need to read or talk. Bebington, Birkenhead, Upton, Moreton and West Kirby libraries.

Helpful books about dementia, free to borrow from public libraries, including e-books and audiobooks.

Weekly groups for a person with memory problems and someone who cares about them. Activities, music and carer support. Near Hooton station. Anyone who can get there is welcome.

Tell them about your experience of local health and care services, good or bad. They help improve services.

Someone to talk to about grief.

Local bereavement support on the Wirral.

Care for people near the end of life, and bereavement support for families of hospice patients for up to two years. Mount Road, Higher Bebington CH63 6JE.

Advice at any hour for families and carers of someone who is very ill or dying.

Support for anyone affected by terminal illness or bereavement, including practical and money questions.

How to write down wishes for future care while the person can still share them.

Who it is for: everyone.

Free to download or order in print. Who it is for: everyone.

Free, can order in print. Who it is for: everyone.

Who it is for: Wirral carers.

Who it is for: carers.

Who it is for: people with a diagnosis who drive.