Dementia

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Dementia

Service Provision:

As the illness progresses, people with dementia will require different services. Local authorities and NHS boards should provide sufficient services that meet the needs of people with dementia and their informal carers, appropriate to the stage of their illness. Services may also be provided by the statutory, voluntary or private sectors employing community psychiatric nurses (CPNs), social workers, care and support staff and should include:

Post diagnosis support including:
- living with memory problems training/courses for people with dementia
- information and advice
- support groups for people with dementia
- support groups for people with dementia and their informal carers
- support groups for informal carers
- courses for informal carers
- counselling and emotional support
- independent advocacy
- help to sustain employment for younger people with dementia
- information on welfare benefits and concessions
- assistance to help plan for the future eg powers of attorney, advance statements and wills
- consideration of sheltered housing and extra care housing, and
- introduction of assistive technology.
Community services including:
- practical assistance and other help in the home
- help with housing issues
- day services/day opportunities
- short breaks/respite care
- crisis response/rapid response assistance
- intensive support and rehabilitation
- household aids and adaptations, and
- assistive technology.
Continuing care including:
- extra care housing
- care homes
- hospital care
- palliative care
- social and cultural stimulation
- challenging behaviour service, and
- continuing support for informal carers including bereavement support.

An ICP for dementia should:

Recognise the individuality and capabilities of each service user and ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect
Help the person with dementia understand and manage their illness and enhance their strengths (things they can still do)
Help informal carers to continue caring for as long as practical
Have a rehabilitative emphasis to help people with dementia have the best quality of life possible within the limitations of their illness
Be understandable to people with dementia and their informal carers, and
Be consistent with the principles of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, ie decisions made on behalf of an adult with incapacity must: benefit the adult, take account of the adults wishes as far as they can be ascertained, take account of the views of relevant others, as far as is reasonable and practicable to do so, restrict the adults freedom as little as possible while still achieving the desired benefit and encourage the adult to use existing skills and develop new skills.