An important step forward for JDC
Welcome to the brand-new Journal of Dementia Care (JDC). These pages may look substantially the same as ever, but behind the scenes there has been an important change. Successfully launched by Hawker Publications almost thirty years ago, JDC has become the leading publication and events team for professionals working within the dementia sector. JDC has ... Read more
Alzheimer’s Society expresses concerns over care costs cap While describing government proposals for funding social care as a “real platform for change”, Alzheimer’s Society has branded a proposed cap of £86,000 on the costs paid by individuals for their own social care as “worryingly high”. Sector leaders also expressed concern that the additional money for ... Read more
Quality Compliance Systems
How to provide outstanding dementia care and meet regulatory requirements
By Jackie Pool, QCS, Dementia Care Champion There are currently 850,000 people in the UK with dementia. However, the Alzheimer’s Society forecasts that by 2040, some 1.6 million could be living with the condition. While researchers are working around the clock to find a cure – or to at least delay the symptoms of dementia ... Read more
“Will the PM Boris Johnson’s promise of more money for social care fix the crisis in dementia care?” The prime minister’s commitment of a £36 billion increase in funding for health and social care over the next three years is clearly to be welcomed. But for people living with dementia and their carers, there may ... Read more
Environment/Design
Living with Dementia in Extra Care Housing
It is estimated that more than fifth of those living in Extra Care Housing have dementia, but relatively little is known about their experience of it. Teresa Atkinson and colleagues set out plans for an 19-month project exploring how Extra Care can help to live well with dementia. Extra Care Housing (ECH) is ... Read more
Activity/Occupation
Creating meaningful days for our clients at home
It is well known that tailored activities can generate meaning and purpose in the lives of people with dementia. Emma Sadler explains how the Good Care Group set out to “create meaningful days” for its home care clients. Our mission is to keep people living well in the comfort of their own homes and communities. ... Read more
Comment/Opinion
Less talk, more music – why action is needed now In March 2020, the volume was turned down on live music and the world was eerily silent. Many of us, including those of us who are musicians and music therapists, were not expecting what happened next. From singing from balconies to performances outside care home ... Read more
Training/Education
An online education course for younger people with dementia
Research has shown that people with young onset dementia need advice, support and information to stay independent. Jacqueline Hussey and Gill Stokes report on how a pilot online education course did exactly that. Young onset dementia affects adults under the age of 65 and nationally there are approximately 43,000 affected individuals within this age group ... Read more
Medical/Physical Care
Nobody could have predicted the scale and force of Covid-19 but falling diagnosis rates have once again highlighted the need for a more streamlined service. James White argues that people with dementia should be prioritised for pandemic recovery. Every three minutes someone develops dementia in the UK. And yet, many are struggling to access a ... Read more
Service Organisation
Plan with care for the best possible quality of later life
Later life is too often overshadowed by needless suffering, says Chris Gage. In response, he has co-founded Plan with Care, which offers a highly personalised, fully managed holistic care and wellbeing service. Our belief is that vulnerable older people can thrive rather than languish in later life, whatever the circumstances. I am one of the ... Read more
Activity/Occupation
A delicate balancing act – safety and quality of life
Covid-19 isolation measures in care homes have had a massive impact on the lives of residents as the balancing act between safety and quality of life continues to pose dilemmas. Sally Knocker argues that finding the right balance has never been more important. “That mask hides your face. Everyone looks the same to me now! ... Read more
Care Homes
Some care homes swear by staff uniforms, others have done away with them altogether to make themselves more “homely”. Faith Frost and colleagues conducted research among staff, visitors, residents and relatives, finding that they liked a spectrum of workplace clothing depending on context The role of staff uniforms in care homes has been an ongoing ... Read more
Training/Education
Early diagnosis of dementia is highly desirable, but people affected by the condition are often left to flounder without sufficient information about the implications. Qutub Jamali and colleagues discuss their study, which calls for more dementia education for both public and professionals. Timely detection and diagnosis of dementia will prevent crises, facilitate adjustment and provide ... Read more
In Scotland allied health professionals like occupational therapists and dietitians are a prominent part of the dementia care scene, perhaps even more so than in other parts of the UK. During #WorldAlzheimersMonth in September, Alzheimer Scotland devoted its Let’s Talk About Dementia blog to what was billed as an allied health professions (AHP) offer, namely ... Read more
Dementia Together: How to Communicate to Connect Pati Bielak-Smith, PuddleDancer Press, ISBN 9781934336182, £17.99 If you are new to “non-violent communication”, as developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg, then Pati Bielak-Smith’s beautiful, welcoming, and informative book is clearly written for all of us to read and enjoy, whether you are living with a dementia, a family ... Read more
Worcester University’s Association for Dementia Studies has launched an Is your garden dementia friendly? environmental assessment tool. Given the greater importance attached to outdoor spaces during the pandemic, the tool has been developed on the basis that the principles of designing gardens for people with dementia are common across all parts of the care sector, ... Read more
Many conferences are subject to change due to coronavirus, some taking place online and others being postponed. Here is the latest information as we went to press, including rescheduled events 2 November Together 4 Dementia 2021 Online Theme is “Dementia: A Global Challenge” and Professor Clive Ballard and De Hogeweyk co-creator EloyVan Hal are among ... Read more