Minutes – 11 October, 2016. Park Methodist Church,Broadwater,

Apologies were received from: Allie Beddard: Chris Moon Willems and Bill Demel.

Chair Tom Wye welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Carol Barber and Offington Park Methodist Church for the venue and the invitation to become part of Worthing Mental Health Awareness Week. He said it was a great success already and was very humbling. He thanked Guild Care, for helping the Alliance get off the ground and Julia for the minutes.

Matters arising from the July meeting had included a meeting of the Steering Group. He was pleased that this had now happened and that Bob Smytherman was now the Chair of the group and that they would meet by-monthly in between the bi-monthly Worthing DAA meetings.

Bob read through the decisions and actions of the Steering Group which can be read here: http://www.dementiaaction.org.uk/local_alliances/13910_worthing_dementia_action_allia nce

West County Council presented the Worthing Dementia Action Alliance with a framed certificate for the work they are doing. It was accepted by Tom Wye and passed on to Guild Care for display.

Tom mentioned that Val Turner had agreed to get to sign up as a member of the Worthing DAA.

Breathing spaces gave an update and said how the event at the Sydney Walter Centre in July had been attended by over 60 people. The mind and memory group showed people around and explained about the work they have put into the garden. They group now have volunteer drivers who can pick them up and take them home which is very imp for those people who are now unable to drive. It gave them the chance to do something independently.

Alzheimer’s Memory Walk in Hove was well attended by all accounts. Weather great and the busy day hopefully raised money with so many people taking part. Davina McCall joined the walk with her father.

Guild Care’s walk had their highest attendance yet at 375. Lynda said that of their homes had entered teams. They were joined by More Radio and other community groups and hope that the funds raised will beat last year’s target. Thanks to everyone for supporting. Lots of people on the day who also brought their dogs. Gill Fielding was an amazing sport and Bob, Town Crier, added great energy with all the bell ringing.

A person who took part said it was absolutely wonderful. Great atmosphere. Great warm up. Held on the Goring Gap. Guild Care saved money by not hiring the Pavilion this year.

Gerry’s O’Toole, representing Sussex Partnership NHS Trust gave a presentation on the In Reach Team who deliver services supporting dementia in care homes.

Snapshot of Dementia Pathway which affects other dementia partnerships.

• Team covers all of West Sussex. • Estimated 13,100 people in WSX living with dementia – anticipated to rise to 18,700 by 2021. • Sussex has a predominance of people living with dementia

Background

In 2009 the National Dementia Strategy needed to address the people living in care homes with dementia.

March 2013 the care home In-Reach Team commissioned. The aim was to improve the culture of care in care homes by working with the care home (this is the client) not the resident. Focus was to try and help care homes manage better themselves with expert advice to enhance care in different ways.

Aims of CHIRT –

• Improve quality of care received in a care home setting. • Reduce the number of inappropriate acute/psychiatric hospital admissions and transfers to higher level of social care support • Reduce the use of anti-psychotic medication for managing challenging behaviours and psychosocial approaches.

Gerry said that they now know more about the dangers of the psychotic medications and the long-term effects. Prescribing is much less now in West Sussex but nationally, it has not been reflected.

The team have altered the language they have used to become more person-centred and they now used more person-centred tools.

They apply this for an individual with dementia by including families in everything that is going on including with GPs. Using this approach and working with everyone does make a difference and increases the wellbeing of the person in care.

The team have three mental health nurses and four occupational therapists and a pharmacist. They look after 360 care homes in West Sussex.

They are based at Swandean. Each nurse has four care homes per week. Working in the North, Chichester and Worthing they work with the GPs and with the Living-well team if there is one. Managers of homes really want to share good practice and improve their care. Activity Co-ordinator Programmes have found it is Important to have meaningful activities for people with dementia particularly for those who express challenging behaviour ie boredom. Physical issues may also contribute to those issues.

Work with dementia partners who you may not have heard of but who are essential

• Dementia crisis service • Living well with dementia • Memory assessment service • GPs • RAIT (rapid assessment intervention team) Ria Evans - nurse • CABS+IRT • CCG dementia leads • Psychiatric liaison (based in ) • Social services • Contracts team

How do they work

• Develop learning experiences for staff – workshops • Explore their own ideas • 1:1 and in small groups • Encourage care homes to do the work themselves. Care home staff really care. • Provide an extensive dementia resource folder – include 8 workshops, Understanding Medication; Physical Health; Challenging Behaviours; Understanding the Individual; Care Planning and Personal History. • Cascade of information. • Lots of systems in place. • Address changes of manager and safeguarding; inability to get the best out of staff; enable them to build on that platform; demonstrate how they benefit. It is all about sustainability and continuous learning about what care homes need around managing dementia. • Signposting to other specialist services.

When they go in, they ask staff what are the problems. The team will then engage over 16 weeks, deliver a range of workshops and dementia awareness. They are not trainers but take the existing training and apply it within the care home. Understanding the types of dementia, what behaviours may be exhibited and, as a consequence of that, future meaningful activities. They are encouraged to get to know the resident and record as much life history as possible. The homes are encouraged to develop dementia leads and trust in the role. Something that staff really appreciate and rise to.

The In Reach team support staff to look at ways of providing person-centred care. Looking at engaging the resident from the life story perspective. The use of sensory stimulation for example and the importance of this for people with dementia. This is the generation that did knitting for example. Different materials, smells, sensory experiences work well.

Tom thanked Gerry for his comprehensive presentation.

Q & As leading from the talk included -

A physical dementia institute was being formed at one of the universities.

Dawn Fairbrother had been at a Dementia Conference with Graham Stokes and spoke about how ‘learning new skills – not just doing similar things’ but doing new activities with a a different part of your brain, from age 45, helped delay dementia. Also, to remain social as isolation shows evidence that people who are isolated, not part of the community, are shown to have dementia later on in life. Language skills and spicy food also recommended.

Bob Smytherman mentioned that West Sussex was not very good at safeguarding. How does the team identify safeguarding concerns and how can we all learn from this?

Gerry said it was getting the trust of the care home first and foremost – 16 weeks to do this. It’s normalizing a safeguarding concern and engage with them that it is good practice to identify the concern. The team tell staff that it is not a reflection on them.

Following a quarterly meeting with champions, Bob asked how, they as reference group can make safeguarding everyone’s business. New adult service reference group – how can WSCC do safeguarding better?

Tom said he thought the onus was on everyone when we are dealing with vulnerable people.

A member of the public had witnessed someone’s daughters taking advantage.

Bob thought it advisable to put a processes in place early on. To mke it all our business to ensure that all our vulnerable residents are protected. He Invited anyone present to join this group as it was early days.

Following a question on how people referred, Gerry said that they are only commissioned to work in care homes.

Where do people living at home get support? Alz Society have a team of supporters and carers’ support, Admiral Nurses. Mental Health Assessment Team. It was said that unpaid carers are very undervalued and find it difficult to get respite.

Tim mentioned the services offered by Guild Care and said generally it is now better than it used to be.

Updates

Tim Wilkins reminded people of the Carol Concert on 14 December, Salvation Army Church, Crescent Road, Worthing at 4pm.

David Richardson said the Prevention Wellbeing Grant is now a replacement one, centralized and pot reduced. Maximum £1K focused on around 5 wellbeing activities. Info on West Sussex County Council website. Worthing will only get a fair share of the pot if people apply for it.

Dementia Action Alliance should look at different funding for the future. Look at the Big Society for example. David Richardson to investigate. All the Alliances are looking for funding for co-ordinators.

Exeter pocket guides to be a discussion for the steering group.

Request for Bikram to send someone to the Alliance to give a report bi-monthly.

Tim Wilkins explained the Gatwick Airport initiative lanyard not just for people with dementia but also for people with disabilities, especially those which are hidden. The pilot is working well with a sunflower lanyard and passengers are assisted quickly. Early days. Also suggested for trains and where crowds are.

Dawn spoke about businesses joining the Dementia Alliance and how to fill in the action plan. Easy wins were:

• Dementia Friends for staff • Environment – signage. • Looking at HR policies – services that you provide that they are dementia friendly.

Send to Dawn, Tim, Jacqui or Julia – lots of ideas on the website. Don’t reinvent the wheel.

AOB

Kerrin spoke about the shocking statistics from the Police Crime Commissioner particularly hate crime. It is on the police and fire brigade agenda.

Meeting was closed at 5.30pm

Next Worthing Dementia Alliance Meeting 17 January 4pm at Guild Care, Methold House, North Street, Worthing BN11 1DA.

Contact emails: Tom Wye: [email protected] Cllr Bob Smytherman: [email protected] Jacqui Swindells: [email protected] Tim Wilkins: [email protected] Julia Johnson: [email protected] Dawn Fairbrother: [email protected] Lilian Birchall: [email protected] Aurora Leighton: [email protected]

The Worthing Dementia Action Alliance is supported by Guild Care, Alzheimer’s Society, Mind Coastal West Sussex, Carers Support West Sussex and West Sussex County Council