1 Dementia? It’s Everyone’s Business! Sandra Shafii AHP Dementia Consultant 21 May 2014

Aim………. Tell you a little about dementia Tell you a little about dementia Why it is such an important topic for all of us Why it is such an important topic for all of us Tell you about what we have been doing to support people with dementia to …live a full life, re-connect and stay connected to the communities of their choice (Dementia Friendly Communities) Tell you about what we have been doing to support people with dementia to …live a full life, re-connect and stay connected to the communities of their choice (Dementia Friendly Communities) Hopefully give you some ideas that could be taken away to stimulate further partnership work Hopefully give you some ideas that could be taken away to stimulate further partnership work

Background Significant demographic changes Significant demographic changes Large scale - and real - reductions in public spending Large scale - and real - reductions in public spending Intractable gap between the life- and health-outcomes of the best- and worst- off Intractable gap between the life- and health-outcomes of the best- and worst- off The issues above highlight need for new approaches to public service delivery…. The issues above highlight need for new approaches to public service delivery…. We can’t keep doing more of the same We can’t keep doing more of the same Asset based approaches in the public sector are attracting a lot of interest (NHS Health Scotland and Chief Medical Officer…. with a view to using this approach to improve health) Asset based approaches in the public sector are attracting a lot of interest (NHS Health Scotland and Chief Medical Officer…. with a view to using this approach to improve health)

Society is changing…………… We are living longer Our population demographic is changing Increasing number of older people The number of people in Scotland aged 65 or over will increase by 21% by 2016

And it’s a fact that there is an association between dementia and ageing BUT Dementia is not a normal part of ageing!!!!

Every 4 seconds someone in the world develops dementia (WHO 2012) In Scotland this means 20 people every day 20 people every day 600 people every month 600 people every month 7200 people every year could develop dementia in Scotland 7200 people every year could develop dementia in Scotland

Some numbers for you Prevalence of dementia: Prevalence of dementia: – % population prevalence –Prevalence doubles every 5 years up to 80s – % population prevalence 88,000 people living with dementia in Scotland in 2014 (including around 3,500 people under 65 years old) 88,000 people living with dementia in Scotland in 2014 (including around 3,500 people under 65 years old) No of people living with dementia predicted to double over next 20 years No of people living with dementia predicted to double over next 20 years Approx 63.5% live in private households compared with 36.5% living in care homes Approx 63.5% live in private households compared with 36.5% living in care homes Dementia increases the risk of falls and accidents in the home Dementia increases the risk of falls and accidents in the home

all functions of the mind remember, reason and concentrate. human thinking, feeling and behaviour “Dementia is a group of progressive diseases of the brain that slowly affect all functions of the mind and lead to a deterioration in the person’s ability to remember, reason and concentrate. It can affect every area of human thinking, feeling and behaviour” (Murphy 1990)

Understanding dementia Lack of inhibition Reduced initiation Difficulty with reasoning Problems making choices Impaired planning & abstract thinking Difficulty processing visual information Problems recognising faces/objects Impaired spatial awareness Difficulty sequencing Can affect body sense Problems understanding & producing speech Difficulty remembering recent events Memories from the past remain intact Reduced attention span

Everyday activities become more and more difficult to accomplish Everyday activities become more and more difficult to accomplish People living with dementia can become more withdrawn and disconnected socially and physically from their personal communities People living with dementia can become more withdrawn and disconnected socially and physically from their personal communities They increasingly lose confidence in themselves and their abilities to stay active and connected They increasingly lose confidence in themselves and their abilities to stay active and connected They often experience isolation and can choose to withdraw from active life They often experience isolation and can choose to withdraw from active life They can struggle to maintain communication and engagement with families and friends They can struggle to maintain communication and engagement with families and friends Thinking broadly about the impact of dementia on the individual

They may experience anger, frustration and despondency and lose their sense of self and self worth They may experience anger, frustration and despondency and lose their sense of self and self worth Many people also experience psychological symptoms and changes in behaviour Many people also experience psychological symptoms and changes in behaviour Physical environments can help or hinder Physical environments can help or hinder Staying active and involved in life situations is an important way for people living with dementia to feel that they are managing the changes that a diagnosis of dementia brings. Staying as well as possible and getting meaning and fulfilment out of life are critical outcomes for people with dementia

What people with dementia say is important for quality of life…… Doing ordinary everyday things Doing ordinary everyday things Keeping in touch with local communities and social networks - staying connected Keeping in touch with local communities and social networks - staying connected Being mobile, walking and getting about outdoors Being mobile, walking and getting about outdoors Being supported to use their personal and social communities Being supported to use their personal and social communities Pursuing hobbies and interests – old and new Pursuing hobbies and interests – old and new Simply going out more Simply going out more Feeling that they can contribute to their communities through volunteering and participation in local groups Feeling that they can contribute to their communities through volunteering and participation in local groups

People with dementia tell us that… Staying connected to communities can make a difference to their experience of dementia Staying connected to communities can make a difference to their experience of dementia The public having an awareness of dementia and its impact on everyday life and living will be helpful The public having an awareness of dementia and its impact on everyday life and living will be helpful Shops are important places so staff knowing how to help and communicate with someone with dementia is helpful Shops are important places so staff knowing how to help and communicate with someone with dementia is helpful Providing more (and more accessible) information about local services and facilities Providing more (and more accessible) information about local services and facilities Thinking about how mainstream services and facilities can be made more accessible to people with dementia Thinking about how mainstream services and facilities can be made more accessible to people with dementia Communities must be safe places with interesting things to do Communities must be safe places with interesting things to do

Dementia is a growing health concern and will impact on all of us

We need a new approach Assets based approach Assets based approach Seeing the community as a reservoir of help and support Seeing the community as a reservoir of help and support “Everyone knows someone with dementia” “Everyone knows someone with dementia” We have been developing dementia friendly communities We have been developing dementia friendly communities Working with shops and businesses, services, banks and organisations Working with shops and businesses, services, banks and organisations

Motherwell Town Centre – Dementia Friendly Community What does that mean? A dementia friendly community is composed of the whole community – for example shops, public service workers, faith communities, businesses, police, transport and community leaders - who are committed to work together and help people with dementia to remain a part of their community and not become apart from it. This involves learning about dementia and doing very simple and practical things that can make an enormous difference.

We have been busy! Motherwell and rolling out across North Lanarkshire Motherwell and rolling out across North Lanarkshire 23 other areas in Scotland are developing local responses (e.g. Edinburgh, Aberdeen Inverclyde…) 23 other areas in Scotland are developing local responses (e.g. Edinburgh, Aberdeen Inverclyde…) National and international interest National and international interest 2 Scottish Awards, 1 UK “Highly Commended, 1 European award 2 Scottish Awards, 1 UK “Highly Commended, 1 European award NB: January 2014 Bradford College became the 1 st Dementia Friendly College in the UK

What’s the link for colleges? Your students are the workforce of the future Your students are the workforce of the future If they understand about dementia they will be better prepared to be supportive to people with dementia in their future careers If they understand about dementia they will be better prepared to be supportive to people with dementia in their future careers Could colleges and students contribute to the quality of life of people with dementia? Could colleges and students contribute to the quality of life of people with dementia? Could there be opportunities for the students in terms of projects and learning? Could there be opportunities for the students in terms of projects and learning? Could your college be part of a dementia friendly community? Could your college be part of a dementia friendly community?

Thoughts? Questions?