The Fife Dementia Strategy: 2010 – 2020 - The Knowledge Network

egular part of their daily care, and should be individualised to satisfy their
needs and preferences. Activities that centre on the person’s normal daily life
and events, such as preparing a meal, and visiting a local shop or familiar
sight, improves the service user’s quality of life and can positively affect
mortality, depression, physical function and behavioural symptoms for people
with dementia, and improve self esteem and sense of identity 63 .
People living in long term care have an expectation and a right to plan and
participate in meaningful activity as an integral part of their care and not an
optional extra 64 . All service users are to be encouraged to assist in selecting,
planning, and taking part in activities where appropriate. Activities should be
available within and outside the place of care as a regular part of daily living –
allocated activity time must not be the only time activities are engaged in and
all staff must contribute to the daily activities of residents.
In order to ensure meaningful activities are provided for all residents, including
those with dementia, all long term care facilities will have access to a trained
activities coordinator who will have dementia specific activities knowledge and
will work with care staff to assist them in providing opportunities to participate
in individual and group activities on a daily basis to residents. Fife Council
activities coordinators will work with other providers to ensure staff are trained
and supported to provide meaningful activities to all residents.
In addition, and in line with the recommendations made in the recent report on
care homes 65 and the National Care Standards 66 which indicate people living
in care homes should “be supported and encouraged to use local services
such as hairdressers, shops and banks”, all people living in long term care will
be given more opportunity to participate in activities outside of the place of
residence. It is recommended that people living in care facilities have a
minimum of two opportunities per month to participate in activities away from
the facility which are suited to their abilities and tastes. This should be
increased over time..
In addition to activities outside of the care facility, there is also a need to
increase access to and utilisation of gardens and out door areas. During
consultations for the Strategy many service users reported a desire to user
outdoor spaces more, but experienced difficulty in doing so due to physical
restrictions or a lack of staff availability to assist them. Garden and outdoor
spaces offer valuable opportunities for occupation, mental stimulation, as well
as offer physical and psychological benefits. Appropriate plans to increase
outdoor activities and use opportunities to use the garden must be made by
care staff.
63 SIGN 86 (2006).
64 Care Commision & Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (2009).
65 Ibid.
66 National Care Standards for Scotland: Care Homes for Older People.
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