Abstract

‘Hospice enabled dementia care: [hospices as] key partners working with their local community and care economy to ensure people affected with dementia have access to optimum palliative care and support wherever they live and wherever they need it, regardless off anticipated prognosis’.

St John’s Hospice is committed to reaching out to people affected by dementia and is developing a strategic action plan and partnerships to best support individuals with a dementia diagnosis and those closest to them.

In order that the most effective assistance, information and care is made available, the hospice, together with NHS, social care, legal and university researcher colleagues has adopted a pilot model developed by a voluntary group, Lancashire Dementia Voices (LDV) within the region. In March 2016, this independent group of people living with dementia, launched a project to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ resource, regularly monthly and with themes and speakers to ensure up-to-date information, advice and support is readily available.

St John’s Hospice and its partners see this ‘Hub’ resource as a potentially creative and collaborative development. Its first action is to seek the views of people living with dementia, through a ‘listening event’ to be held at the hospice in early June 2016. Information will be disseminated directly to individuals and their carers, identified through NHS services. It is also hoped that this event will generate interest for volunteers from the target group to join the multiple agencies in a steering group to determine the structure, venue, initial programme and regularity of the ‘Hub’ service.

The hospice views this as part of its increasing community engagement and will review and evaluate its contribution to the project. By absorbing the views of people affected by dementia, and their carers, the hospice hopes to ensure delivery of dementia-friendly and effective inpatient, outpatient and home services.