Improving dementia care in a challenging sector

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alzheimers.org.uk

Setting the scene

• There are currently 800,000 people with dementia in the UK.

• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia

• Dementia costs the UK £23 billion.

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alzheimers.org.uk

Why dementia is the biggest care challenge

•80% of people living in care homes have a form of dementia or severe memory problems.•Up to a quarter of hospital beds occupied by someone with dementia.•People with dementia frequent users of home care services.

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alzheimers.org.uk

Prime Minister’s Challenge• Launched on 26 March 2012• Three work streams:

•Driving improvements in health and care

•Creating dementia-friendly communities that understand how to help

•Better research• Improving formal care services is a key

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alzheimers.org.uk

Progress with the Challenge• 69 signatories to Dementia Care and

Support Compact• £300m for innovative housing

solutions• Awareness of alternatives to

hospitalisation• Innovation Challenge Prize• E-learning dementia training

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alzheimers.org.uk

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alzheimers.org.uk

What do we know about the state of care?• Unacceptable variation in the quality of care across all

care settings.• Low expectations, 2013

Attitudes on choice, care and community for people with dementia in care homes

• Support. Stay. Save. 2011Care and support of people with dementia in their own homes

• Counting the Cost, 2009Caring for people with dementia on hospital wards

Meeting the challenge of dementiaHigh quality care can:• Contribute to

maintaining quality of life• Helping to retain

independence• Potentially reduce

pressure on more costly care settings, such as acute hospitals

Poor quality care can:• Deny people with

dementia opportunities for a good quality of life

• Lead to higher overall care costs through early admissions to care homes and avoidable admissions to hospital

• Impact on the health and mental health of carers.

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alzheimers.org.uk

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alzheimers.org.uk

Principles of good quality care

• Provided by staff trained in providing good dementia care who have access to specialist support

• Focused on meeting needs and aspirations• Promoting of dignity and respect and

maintaining human rights• Closely coordinated between different

professionals and services across health, social care and housing

• Launched October 2010• More than 100 organisations• Each developed action plan on dementia

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alzheimers.org.uk

Examples of working together

• Call to Action from DAA launched on October 15th

• We want every hospital in England to commit to becoming a dementia friendly hospital, working in partnership with their local DAA

• So far, 74 hospitals have signed up

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alzheimers.org.uk

The Right Care:Creating dementia friendly hospitals

Focussed Intervention Training and Support (FITS)

• Being rolled out to 150 care homes• Trial reduced use of antipsychotics by almost 50%

• 10 days of training including:• awareness and understanding of dementia• delivering person-centred care• managing behavioural symptoms• regular supervision sessions

• Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) to assess impact

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alzheimers.org.uk

Thank you

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alzheimers.org.uk