Demonstrator sites | Dementia Partnerships

Dementia demonstrator sites are projects funded by the Department of Health to test the benefits of establishing peer support projects and dementia advisors. The sites began operating in the spring of 2010 and are due to run until March 2011. A robust, independent national evaluation is being undertaken and will report some time after the sites have completed their formal operation.

There are four sites in the South West, two of each type. As commissioners were keen to capture any early learning from the sites we held an event to consider some of the emerging outcomes, benefits and challenges. The key points are captured below.

Dementia advisors:

People value the service
Some advisors are concerned that services are not always available to refer people on to
It takes longer to establish an advisor service and recruit and train advisors than might be anticipated
Referral growth has been slower than anticipated; current levels of activity/ costs could make them expensive.
Constant, active marketing and promotion is required
Recruiting and sustaining volunteers to complement advisors has proved challenging. Not easy to achieve a match between what volunteers offer and what the service needs
Relationships with GPs mixed. Important to network with other primary care staff and practice managers
Good IT and administrative systems are critical to success and must be put in place as soon as possible
It is important to anticipate information sharing protocols especially with health professionals
Home visits have many benefits but make the service expensive
Upstreaming advisors (e.g. attending community events) encourages people to seek early help / diagnosis

Peer support projects:

There is huge enthusiasm for “dementia cafes”; relatively easy to set up and recruit volunteers. However effort is required to ensure they are properly constituted with clear objectives and training
The “café” experience is clearly enjoyable for many. But need to be clear about what “peer support” is, and be wary of carers’ needs dominating the experience
Care is needed in assessing outcomes for people with dementia; Dementia care mapping is proving useful
The two SW models were compared: one is lead by mental health staff and is more expensive. It is argude that the investment is worth it because it facilitates engagement and interaction between local services and people with dementia / carers and gives ready access to professional support. The other is volunteer lead and around a third of the cost and is seen as beneficial as it creates opportunities to engage people with dementia/ carers with community based activities
Charging people needs consideration; Most people would be willing to pay.
Need a range of peer support opportunities to meet a range of needs, e.g. people who live on their own, people who feel less comfortable in a larger groupings, people living in distant rural localities.

Further information:

Cornwall

Torbay