A NEW action plan to help people living with dementia and their families has been unveiled this week.

Essex Police's Braintree Community Policing Team has teamed up with Braintree Council and the Dementia Action Alliance to create an information pack.

It includes information about support which is on offer in the district as well as information about activities such as swimming and walks that people can take part in.

PCSO Terrie Johnson from Braintree Community Policing Team said: "We want to help people living with dementia as they are some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

"The idea of an information pack came to me after we had a number of elderly missing people who were suffering with either dementia or Alzheimer’s.

"Many people we come into contact with feel alone in their coping and coming to terms with living with dementia and Alzheimer’s and this pack was designed to let them know that support is available."

The packs also include information about family navigators from the Alzheimer’s Society.

The new initiative will work alongside the Herbert Protocol which is a national scheme that sees the police, councils and the Alzheimer’s Society work with families to fill in a form which could help find loved ones quicker if they go missing.

It includes vital information about the medication the missing person requires, places where they have previously been located as well as details of their daily routine.