National Care Association signed the National Dementia Declaration as a member of the Dementia Action Alliance alongside the Minister for Social Care, Paul Burstow.

National Care Association welcomed the initiative which endorses the Association's commitment to working with partners to deliver quality based services with a skilled and trained workforce.

National Care Association chairman, Nadra Ahmed OBE, said after she had signed the declaration: 'At our Annual Conference last week our agenda gave highest priority to issues relating to the improvement of services for people with dementia.

'Our keynote speaker from the USA, Erin Bonitto, a world authority on life enrichment for dementia, mesmerised the delegates with the work she is doing with care homes in the United States through the Alzheimer's Dementia Lounge programme, "activity stations" designed to stimulate memories and responses.'

The programme is reported to significantly reduce the use of psychotropic medication. National Care Association has agreed to work closely with Erin Bonitto in the coming years to bring the benefits of her 'memory care' programme to the United Kingdom.

Nadra concludes: 'The Alzheimer's Dementia Lounge programme will undoubtedly help to achieve the outcomes set out in the National Dementia Declaration. Like all providers of care in this field, members of National Care Association are committed to improving the quality of care outcomes to people with dementia. The Alzheimer's Lounge programme will, we are sure, have a significant part to play in achieving those aims.'

Source:
National Care Association