“ Come to your senses about dementia”

Ageing suit experience

Promoting Excellence Dementia Training

Dementia SpecialistImprovement Leads Programme

Appreciative Inquiry Model( Cooperrider, Whitney, Stavros 2008)

Discover

Dream

Design

Deliver (Destiny)

Proposal (Dream)

• Aging suit experience • Consultation with lecturers from course

• Research

• Proposal went to senior management for suit and additional eyesight impairment set

AccessibleBenefit

MeaningfulAttractivePractical

Aging suit- not a new concept

Planning stage (Design)

Impact assessment

Session programme

Health and safety checklist

Equipment checklist

Evaluations

Database of attendance

Engagement of services for trial (Delivery)

Contacted elderly mental health services first-commitment 11 priority

And

Those services who engaged early with promoting excellence training

Trial period evaluations(Discover)

• Pre and post session self evaluation- measured by differences in scores

• Reflection questions- qualitative

• Discussion – time for de- escalation

• Summary sent to each team leader

(thoughts: Follow up team evaluations 1 year later)

Sessions

• 30mins- exceptions for friends and families-require at least 45mins

• Health and safety checks

• Suit and tasks

• De- escalation

• Discussion

• Reflection

Results: Understanding dementia problems

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

frequency of difference scores ( dementia)

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Results:Understanding problems that

Elderly have

0

5

10

15

20

25

frequency of score differences (elderly issues)

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Results: reflections

“very restricted and scared that I would walk into something or knock something over. Apprehensive”

“lost, disorientated, struggled with walking and bending”

“shocked about how the person would feel and thinking about what I am expected to do”

“tired, it has brought home the physical and mental difficulties”

yes more tolerant/patient of the time it may take to accomplish the tasks of daily living”

“It’s a reminder of the difficulties that the elderly face every day”

“yes I will be able to support my team better and get them to think about what the person is

experiencing”

“training should be rolled out to all people who work with community care.

very thought provoking”

“really useful and constructive and I enjoyed being made to think outside my comfort zone”

What next?

• NHS

• NHS

• Social Services

• Fire Service

• Care Homes

• AHP

• Friends and Family

• Students

• Volunteers

18 months later

• Over 500 people attended

• Evaluations still very positive

• More interest from day care, care homes, friends and families

• Supermarkets

• Other ways that the suit can be used in training

Follow up evaluationQuestions

50% return on 4 question evaluation- by email

• Do you feel your staff gained a better knowledge of dementia and aging issues as a result of training? Examples?

• Do you feel that your services has improved because of this? In what way?

• Have you and your staff implemented any practical changes as a result of the training? Examples?

• What other training needs do you think you and your staff require?

Follow up results summary

• All positive• Increase in consciousness and thus altered attitudes

towards elderly – increased empathy and understanding• Communication improvements• Overwhelming in a positive way• Purchasing of equipment• Referred links to promoting excellence training- reinforced

learning• Ensuring patients have their glasses, hearing aids, etc-

being more alert when referred about sensory problems• Taking a proactive approach- supporting in community

better and prevention of crisis

2 years later

• Over 650 people have attended session

• More requests from Care homes

• Used in Promoting Excellence training to hotel staff- aiding a greater understanding of needs in their premises

Dementia Friendly Prestwick

• Dementia Friendly Hotel as part of Dementia Friendly Prestwick

• Conversion of 1 room initially to become dementia friendly

• Local business aiding those in local community to access facilities and not feel so isolated or stigmatised

• Normalising holiday provision

• Carlton Hotel