Ayrshire - Self-Directed Support

Most people with dementia would prefer to stay in their own home for as long as possible, and many families would like to care for the person at home. The decision to move a person with dementia into a care home is usually difficult both for the person with dementia and their family.

Families are often adversely affected and may feel guilt, loss, and lose much of the support they had when caring at home. Approximately 40% of people with dementia live in a care home, often because services in the community are no longer suitable to help them stay at home.

More choice, flexibility and control

The Alzheimer Scotland Self-Directed Support Project offers support and assistance to families throughout Ayrshire to find alternatives to entering a care home.

We can help people with dementia to access self-directed support. Self-directed support is when a person (or their family) chooses to arrange some or all of their support services.

It is for people who wish to have more choice, flexibility and control over their care so they can live at home more independently. Together with family and friends we will explore more flexible and individual possibilities, within the person's own home.

This pilot project is funded by the Scottish Government and will run until May 2011.

The Self-Directed Support Project Manager can:

• Provide one-to-one support for the person with dementia and their family
• Assist you to explore creative options for each individuals care requirements
• Help you to maximise and link to natural support networks
• Assist you with finding flexible support, to meet the needs of the individual
• Provide information about the full range of funding options including direct payments, or individualised budgets (where these can be negotiated)
• Advocate on your behalf when required
• Support you with setting up mechanisms for managing payments on behalf of the person with dementia
• Link you to other relevant support networks

The project will also:

• Offer group support for carers
• Work alongside professional staff to support them to offer self-directed support to individuals with dementia.

Direct Payments

A direct payment is money given to an individual (or someone else acting on their behalf), by the local authority, to pay for community care services which he or she has been assessed as needing.

Having a direct payment means that the individual can:

• Decide who is to provide the services they required for example a personal assistant, voluntary or private organisation or local authority— or a combination of these.
• Arrange how and when the service is to be provided
• Pay directly for the services provided
• Purchase equipment to support the individual with independent living tasks