22 nd Alzheimer Europe Conference Vienna 2012

1. 22nd Alzheimer Europe Conference Vienna 2012 What is a Dementia Adviser and what do they do? Jenny La Fontaine Professor Dawn Brooker Jennifer Bray Association for Dementia Studies Association for Dementia Studies

2. Aims • Background • What does the data tell us about the role? • How do Dementia Advisers perceive their role and the Knowledge, Skills and Attributes needed to deliver the role • Opportunities and challenges in delivering the service, and thoughts for the future Association for Dementia Studies

3. Acknowledgements • Department of Health England • The Alzheimer’s Society England, NHS Worcestershire and Worcestershire County Council, England • The Dementia Advisers, Lorrain Cullen, Patricia Spencer and Rachel Thomson and their Manager Gill Carter • The Dementia Adviser Service Implementation Group, including Dawn Brooker, Kathy Dale, David Hitchen, Kumbi Mandinyenya, Carole Edwards and Bernie Coope • All participants in the evaluation in particular the people living with dementia and their families and supporters Association for Dementia Studies

4. Background • Bid for funding for “demonstrator site” submitted to Department of Health England in June 2009 • Collaborative project between NHS Worcestershire (Primary Care Trust), Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Joint Commissioning Unit, Alzheimer’s Society England and University of Worcester • Two full-time Dementia Advisers (DA), employed by Alzheimer’s Society England, commenced in December 2009 covering 2 localities • Working alongside the Early Intervention Dementia Service (EIDS) Worcestershire Association for Dementia Studies

5. The Evaluation • Compare and contrast the impact and effect of the provision of services following diagnosis with and without a DA • Consider the experience of the DA for people living with dementia and their family/ carers • Determine the skills, facilitators and barriers to the success of the DA role • Enable commissioners to make evidence based decisions regarding the impact of such services and their ongoing financial support Association for Dementia Studies

6. Findings from the client records system Association for Dementia Studies

7. Who is referred? • 329 referrals in total (Jan 2010 – March 2011) • 190 for Wyre Forest • 139 for Redditch & Bromsgrove • Majority of referrals were for carers or family members • Not the intended clients Association for Dementia Studies

8. Referral source • People living with dementia • EIDS & CMHT main referral source • Carers and family • Self referrals as well as EIDS & CMHT • Wide range of organisations/groups actively referring to DA service Association for Dementia Studies

9. Nature of contact with clients • DA requires strong communication skills • Phone calls (less than 20 minutes) • May be first contact with client • Often initiated by client • Meetings (around 1 hour) • More in-depth knowledge required Association for Dementia Studies

10. The breadth of the Dementia Adviser role • Provide information on a range of dementia-related topics • Medical • Social • Emotional • Financial • Legal • Broad knowledge required by the DA Association for Dementia Studies

11. Signposting • DA needs wide knowledge base of services in their area • Created a Guidebook of services • Suitable services do not always exist Association for Dementia Studies

12. Findings from the Qualitative Interviews Association for Dementia Studies

13. Alongside through the Journey Association for Dementia Studies

14. Assessment “You’re picking up on everything when you first meet, meet them anyway. You’re picking up on, you know, are they getting their benefits, their entitlements, have they thought about the future, where are they in their diagnosis. So it was about, you know, how they were feeling and, is there anything they’re struggling with, did they need. So I was trying, you try and pick out what it is you can help with. Are they isolated, are you looking about, you know, is this person going to benefit from some peer support, you know? Are they going to benefit from being more involved, be getting out into the community more? Is it more on a personal level? Coping strategies, is it about the memory?” Association for Dementia Studies

15. The Work of the Dementia Adviser • Accessing services • Advanced planning • Information re accessing financial support • Information giving, relating to illness and coping • Enabling identification of practical solutions • Reframing Association for Dementia Studies

16. University of Worcester Association for Dementia Studies

17. What Works? • Partnership Working • Face to face contact, and continuity • Clarity of role (and boundaries of role) • Preparation of the area and services • Being outside of statutory provision • Networking NetworkingNetworkingNetworking • Resilience Association for Dementia Studies

18. Thank you for Listening! j.la.fontaine@worc.ac.uk Photographs of people living with dementia taking part in The Enriched Opportunities Programme