Residents in York’s care homes could get earlier access to dementia support services due to a new trial to improve overall diagnostic rates.
The City of York Council has joined up with the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group and Dementia Forward* to trial a new scheme to train care home staff to screen residents for dementia.
Usually diagnosis has required the resident to make a trip to a GP or hospital presenting with signs of dementia, which has meant that many people haven’t received the necessary information and support as early as possible.
In this trial key staff at care homes are trained in how to use a national screening tool by Dementia Forward before using it to assess their residents, as well as being trained to offer further advice including the Alzheimer Society’s ‘This is Me’ toolkit to help care workers support the resident in the home.
The 12 month project is currently being trailed in eight care homes across the city, including CYC’s Haxby Hall and Windsor House. Early indications show that diagnostic rates have significantly increased, and the pilot will be rolled out to other homes across York over the next few months.
Cllr. Paul Doughty, Conservative spokesperson for Adult Social Care and Health said
“The earlier the diagnosis, the earlier a dementia patient can get the help and support needed. We’re working hard to make York a Dementia Friendly city and this pilot programme will definitely contribute by, we hope, improving diagnostic rates among care home residents in York and also by helping their families and carers to come to grips as early as possible with the challenges presented by a dementia diagnosis.”
* Dementia Forward is an experienced and established team providing support to people living with dementia and those who care for them, supporting people in the Ripon and Harrogate district and in York and the Vale of York: www.dementiaforward.org.uk