Nikki Zimmermann – Direct Support Services Lead, Rare Dementia Support 

Nikki joined Rare Dementia Support at University College London (UCL), at the beginning of 2019 after working for the Alzheimer’s Society for the previous seven years.  Her academic background is in Public Health and she has personal experience as her father had young onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Her role at Rare Dementia Support enables her to continue with hands-on support work through the support networks nationally and internationally by managing the Direct Support Team and overseeing all the RDS Support Groups.  It also enables her to be more involved in strategy and education in the specialised field of rare dementias.

In addition to this she facilitates the monthly Young Onset Support Group at St George’s Hospital in Wandsworth, London.

She has had many roles in London with the Alzheimer’s Society, setting up support services for people with dementia and their families and managing services in the boroughs of South London.  She worked on many projects, promoting partnership, working to produce the best outcomes in dementia care and spent many years working with commissioners enabling this.

Her most recent role with the Alzheimer’s Society was developing the London Neurology project.  The focus was to work in a more intensive way within Cognitive Neurology departments.  She was fully embedded as an integral part of the team at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, St George’s Hospital and Chelsea and Westminster.  Whilst working in the clinics, providing pre, peri and post diagnostic support for people with rare types of dementia and their families, she developed extensive knowledge and expertise in this field.

Nikki is a member of the Young Dementia Network’s Diagnosis and Understanding and Awareness workstreams.