Occupation

Abstracts
Posters
People living with dementia are abled to make their voice heard
and identify local businesses and services that are working
towards becoming dementia friendly. Those engaged with the
dementia friendly community have clear support and guidance.
Involvement with the dementia friendly community enabled
occupational therapists to provide new opportunities for
reablement in the community in a socially inclusive way,
reflecting values of the profession. Embracing such movements
opens new possibilities for the profession.
References
Alzheimer’s Society (2015), Dementia Friends, Available from:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.
php?documentID=2070 [Accessed: 15.9.2015]
Green, G. & Lakey, L. (2013), Building dementia-friendly
communities: A priority for evereyone, london: Alzheimer’s
Society.
Keywords
Dementia, Practice development, Innovative practice, Interagency
Contact E-mail Addresses
caroline.ryder-jones1@nhs.net
Author Biographies
Caroline Ryder-Jones is an OT Clinical Lead specialising in
reablement for people living with dementia. Previous work has
been in a young onset dementia team and community mental
health. She advocates promoting social inclusion and raising
dementia awareness in the local community.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/nothing-venturednothing-gained-risk-guidance-for-people-with-dementia
Accessed 18.09.2015.
Guzmán-Vélez E, Feinstein JS, Tranel D (2014) Feelings without
memory in Alzheimer disease. Cognitive and Behavioural
Neurology, 27(3) 117–129. Available at: http://mobile.journals.
lww.com/cogbehavneurol/_layouts/15/oaks.journals.mobile/
articleviewer.aspx?year=2014&issue=09000&article=00001#P46.
Kitwood T, Bredin K (1992) Towards a theory of dementia care:
personhood and well-being. Ageing and Society, 12(3) 269–287.
McCrae N (2015) Evaluating the SPECAL ® approach to care.
Journal of Dementia Care, 23(3) 24–27.
Pearce S (2015) Prioritising risk in dementia: using the SPECAL ®
method in person-centred risk management. College of
Occupational Therapists Annual Conference 2015, Brighton
30.06.15.
Keywords
Dementia, Service improvement or transformation, Innovative
practice, Voluntary/third sector services
Contact E-mail Addresses
shirleypearce@jepearce2014.plus.com
Author Biographies
Shirley Pearce is an independent occupational therapist with
experience of working with older people in day care, community
mental health teams and memory clinics. She now specialises
in dementia, uses the SPECAL Method with clients and coaches
carers in its use. She has been involved with preparing a course
for family carers which is the subject of a research study.
P41
Reablement in a dementia friendly community
Ryder-Jones C 1 , Bailey G 2 , Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS
Foundation Trust 1 , Hartlepool Borough Council 2
In England, dementia friendly communities promote living well
with dementia (Green & Lakey 2013). Occupational therapists
within reablement services empower those living with dementia
to optimise independence and access activities of their choice.
This often involves changes in supprt and physical adaptation of
environments.
Partnership working with people living with dementia local
businesses health and social care the voluntary sector and
charities has enabled the establishment of a dementia friendly
community in Hartlepool. Use of dementia friends (Alzheimer’s
Scoiety 2015) and dementia design principles have supported
real engagement to to raise awareness and improve the
experience of the person with dementia and their family.
Initial consultation with people living with dementia and their
care givers identified priorities. Ongoing consultation ensures
that work stays focussed on the needs identified and adapts as
required.
Local businesses and service providers have pledged changes
which they are implementing to become more dementia friendly.
People living with dementia have a voice within the town and
promote a positive image of dementia, whilst challenging
inequity. Social media has been utilised.
Occupational therapy has played a vital role in implementing
change promoting the value of independence and purposeful
activity in socially inclusive settings.
P42
Exploring the use of a recovery college for older
people with dementia in the UK
Duff C 1 , Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 1 ,
University of Lincoln 2
In 2012 the number of people living with dementia was
800,000, and it is expected to rise to 1,000,000 by 2021. The
cost to society is currently estimated to be £23 billion per year.
This means that dementia poses a huge challenge in health and
social care (NICE 2013).
Recovery Colleges have developed in the last decade to provide
a range of courses that aim to support people to become experts
in their own self-care and for families, friends, carers and staff to
better understand mental health conditions and support people
in their recovery journey, however in most areas people with
dementia aren’t included in this.
The term ‘recovery’ is synonymous with being free from illness
and many people don’t relate this or the term self-management
to older people living with dementia. However if ‘recovery’ is
defined as the process through which people find ways of living
meaningful lives with or without ongoing symptoms of their
conditions it can be applied to people living with dementia.
One study by Daley et al (2013) found that that the recovery
model can apply to people living with dementia who do perceive
themselves as being responsible for managing their own
illnesses.
This poster will show how staff working in Lincolnshire have
used the principles of recovery when working with people
with dementia and have used the local Recovery College as
an opportunity to develop this, considering the benefits and
challenges along the way. Occupational Therapists are vital to
help people to live well with dementia through self-management
and influence the development of services which in the current
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