Dementia Care Comes Under Fire - But Highest Rating For Southport's Birch Abbey, UK

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 18 Mar 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The iPersonally Memory Centre at Birch Abbey care home in Southport has been awarded the highest rating in a quality assessment carried out by Sefton Council's official assessors.

The centre, whose staff are trained at Europe's leading dementia care centre, was rated Level 5 for the third year running after an audit of documentation, procedures, skills and training levels, and interviews with clients and their families.

The award comes in the light of a report published by social care analysts Laing and Buisson who found training in UK care homes was "fragmented and ad-hoc", with a third of homes failing to provide staff with specialist instruction relating to dementia care.

The report said only 57% of home residents affected by dementia were cared for in settings dedicated to the condition. The figure increased to two thirds once all those who ended up with dementia while in care homes were taken into account.

"This is hardly a surprise to those in the front line of dementia care, but perhaps another clear indication that the government has to engage and involve on-the-ground dementia care managers and staff in applying and developing the recently announced dementia strategy," said Dan Lingard, chief executive of iPersonally.

"That we have attained the highest rating is down to the focus, dedication and training of the staff at Birch Abbey - they are fantastic. Our team members take dementia care courses - up to degree level - at what is possibly Europe's leading dementia academic and training centre, Bradford Dementia Group at the University of Bradford's School of Health Studies."

Birch Abbey introduced and developed a unique dementia care approach with new ownership more than three years ago, and has found itself already operating what might be considered a model for the recently announced government national dementia strategy, intended to change attitudes and improve services.

"Key to our 'iPersonally' approach is the recognition that whereas traditional government-inspired dementia care had focused on what is important FOR people with dementia - health and safety, for example - we believe this must be balanced by elements which recognise that there are things that are important TO people with dementia and to ignore these simply makes matters worse.

"Helping people living with dementia to get on with as much of their life as we can, using mind and muscles - even in seemingly small ways - can have a massively positive effect," says Dan.

"We have packaged up our approach, attitude, skills, training and technology into 'iPersonally'. iPersonally will be offered to other dementia care and support homes and organisations who share this thinking and passion for change.

"The iPersonally approach is driving an understanding that while the onset of dementia cannot be reversed, it can be contained or slowed - primarily by stimulating the mind and keeping the body even just mildly active. iPersonally creates those options for people who are living with dementia," said Dan.

At the heart of iPersonally approach is the belief that technology must be better harnessed to support people with dementia, their carers and wider support network.

Dan Lingard is a former software developer working with IBM and the BBC.

He invented "MyAmego", a specialist monitoring system which supports people living with dementia. MyAmego (http://www.myamego.co.uk), an award-winning world's- first, is now being installed in care homes, day centres, "extra care" flats and individuals' homes.

Birch Abbey care home is undergoing a £5 million investment programme which will significantly increasing its capacity, introducing a wider range of services, facilities and team members.

Source
iPersonally Memory Centre

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