Rare Dementia Support offers specialist social, emotional and practical support services for individuals living with, or affected by, a rare dementia diagnosis. The National Brain Appeal supports RDS’ vision for all individuals with, at risk of or supporting someone with one of these forms of dementia to have access to information, tailored support and guidance, and contact with others affected by similar conditions. Over 2,700 people are currently supported across the UK with around 1,000 attendees across all the meetings.There are seven types of rarer dementia supported by this service:

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA)

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA)

Familial frontotemporal dementia (fFTD)

Familial Alzheimer’s disease (fAD)

Dementia with Lewy Bodies (LBD)

Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (YOAD)

For more information about these conditions and the support available, visit Rare Dementia Support .The National Brain Appeal is raising £350,000 per annum to 2024 to develop support, education and research for the seven rarer dementias.Services currently being offered include: large, national, diagnosis-specific support group meetings; carer-only meetings; small discussion groups; one-to-one support by email, phone and video call; a free legal advice service; community support; 29 regional support groups; bereaved carer meetings and in partnership with Dementia UK, the support of the first RDS Admiral Nurse.

Two new support groups have recently been set up – a Young Onset Alzheimer’s Group and a Young Adult Children’s group. RDS membership has grown more than 60% with 830 new members joining in 2020, 860 people attending online support groups and 45,171 visits to the website from 142 different countries – a truly worldwide impact! This virtual centre is being developed alongside the physical centre − which will be the world’s first Centre for Rare Dementias. Please visit our campaign for the centre here