DAW conference and Ministerial launch of key report into dementia palliative care

Alzheimer Scotland will launch Dementia Awareness Week 2009 with its major national conference, which this year addresses best practice in dementia services and how to put people with dementia and carers in control, so that their services fit better with their lives. The conference will challenge participants to think about dementia services in new ways, from support after diagnosis through to improving end of life care. The conference takes place on 1-2 June 2009, at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel.

With the number of people with dementia set to increase from 63,500 today to 110,000 by 2031, Scotland needs to address the difficulties that health, social and care services will face in meeting significantly higher levels of demand in the not-too-distant future.

'this conference aims to change attitudes...'

Alzheimer Scotland’s Director of Personalisation, Kate Fearnley says, “This conference aims to change attitudes, both in service provision and in the world at large. Personalising services is about putting people in control and achieving a better match between paid-for care and the support of friends and family. If we can do that, we can help people with dementia and their families have an improved quality of life for longer."

The conference will see the launch, on 2nd June at 1.30pm, of the report on Alzheimer Scotland’s Beyond Barriers project. The aim of this innovative project was to develop current care practice in care homes by supporting both staff and relatives to meet the palliative care needs of people in the later stages of dementia.

Shona Robison MSP to launch Beyond Barriers report

The project trained 85 staff from 55 care homes as dementia palliative care champions, together with 46 relatives of residents with dementia. The report will be officially launched at 2pm at the conference by Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Public Health.

The Minister said, “Scotland’s older people deserve the best possible care and especially vulnerable older people who live with dementia.

“The Beyond Barriers project is one of the ways we are ensuring that care home staff are well trained and able to deliver a high standard of care which meets the needs and expectations of individuals and their carers.

“Our recently announced dementia strategy will build on this, recognising that there is much more that can be done and stepping up the drive towards better care for people living with dementia.”

For full conference details, visit http://www.alzscot.org/pages/daw-conference-2009.htm