Promising approaches to living well with dementia

Author(s)

JOPLING Kate

Publisher(s):

Age UK

Publication year:

2017

This report provides a practical resource for individuals and organisations working in communities to support people living with dementia, and their carers to live well. It identifies interventions that are evidenced, cost effective and scalable, and which could be replicated by NHS Trusts, care providers and primary care services. The services highlighted include counselling for the newly diagnosed; encouraging people to get involved in arts and crafts activities; and helping people to reminisce through dance. It also proposes a framework to help understand these different approaches and the way they can be brought together in communities. This framework covers: Foundation services - which support people with dementia to access direct interventions; Direct interventions - to help support personal wellbeing, positive relationships, and active daily lives; Enabling services, which includes technology, transport and housing and care; and Structural factors - approaches in policy and practice which support effective development of appropriate services and systems., such as rights-based approaches and dementia friendly communities. Twenty five case studies are included to highlight the range of activity across the country. It makes recommendations for people with dementia and their carer, service providers and local authorities and health bodies involved with planning community responses to dementia. (Edited publisher abstract)