Living with dementia: Improving quality of life #dementiaconference

We have diagnosed 1,693 people with dementia in Brighton & Hove

engaging people with dementia through activity and occupation significantly improves quality of life and can slow disease progression

We want to increase the range of early intervention services we are introducing some so changes

7 services APRIL 2016

Over £100k NEW investment into community dementia services

Introducing...

Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who provide holistic clinical support to people living with dementia and their carers in Brighton and Hove. Provided in partnership by:

Admiral Nurse interventions help the main carer and family unit to stay well by teaching them how to adopt healthy coping strategies during their journey with dementia.

“She has quite simply changed my life. I feel supported, taken seriously and offered hope such that I can go on.” Admiral Nurses, Kent

Sing Healthy Play Happy is a music-making project for people with dementia and their carers.

In these sessions, people are invited to engage in singing and playing familiar and new music together.

offering participants the use of musical instruments as well as singing Sing Healthy Play Happy “He doesn’t know what day it is but he says ‘oh good, it’s music day!” (carer from participant interview and feedback sheet, Brighton and Hove)

“When we are there his face lights up as soon as we start to sing. It’s a joy to see. Also others who go there enjoy it so much. The change in their expressions is lovely to see.” (carer from participant interview and feedback sheet, Brighton and Hove)

Cook & Eat course for people with dementia and their carers Each ‘Cook & Eat’ session would include the chance for participants to cook dishes themselves and to sit and eat together.

We plan to deliver weekly garden sessions for people with dementia for 10 months of the year. Activities at the garden would focus on sensory stimulation and sharing food and gardening memories, with all activities tweaked over time depending on interests expressed by the group. Weekly gardening sessions

Cookery can often bring back positive memories from the past, and the chance to eat with others is an important moment which many people don’t get to experience very often. We all eat, and food is central to life’s celebrations and memories.

Helping people with dementia to harvest what they have sown and to embed gardening as a hobby or activity to continue in their own time. Dementia gardening and Cook & Eat project

The Hop 50+ is open seven days a week with transport and support for members four days each week. Other days include groups and activities ranging from Tai Chi to singing, art and a Sunday lunch club. Making the existing Hop 50+ activities dementia friendly

Cognitive stimulation is used to help strengthen a person’s communications skills, thinking and memory. It is used to make the most of skills and mental functions through exercises and activities. A typical session lasts for one hour and may involve games, singing, reminiscence, sharing stories, chatting and discussions, current events, arts and crafts. Memory Support Service

“It gave me courage” “Sharing my experience helps me to accept my diagnosis” Memory Support Service Feedback from participants in other areas receiving the memory support service from Alzheimer’s Society

Singing is not only an enjoyable activity, it can also provide a way for people with dementia, along with their carers, to express themselves and socialise with others in a fun and supportive group.

Well known songs are used to evoke verbal and emotional memories. New songs are taught to help challenge and extend skills.

Singing for the Brain provides a facilitated structured group session for people with dementia who may wish to attend alone or with a carer.

The Dementia Action Alliance is a movement with one simple aim: to bring about a society- wide response to dementia. It encourages and supports communities and organisations across Brighton and Hove to take practical actions to enable people to live well with dementia. Dementia Action Alliance

7 services APRIL 2016  Admiral Nurses  Sing Healthy Play Happy group  Gardening and Cookery groups  Dementia friendly Hop 50+  Singing for the Brain continuation & expansion  Memory Support Service  Dementia Action Alliance

Check out their stands to find out more