11 March 2010
Project launched to help people with dementia stay in own homes
A unique pilot project has been launched to help people with dementia to live at home rather than go into residential care by assisting them with day-to-day tasks like paying bills.
The At Home Project - piloted by Accord Housing Association - will work with people with the progressive brain condition and their families to arrange visits to day centres and adaptations to their homes to make them safer.
The Project’s team will also help with tasks such as setting up direct debts so that residents don’t forget to pay their bills and rent - putting their tenancies at risk.
They will also encourage people to get involved in community activities, prompt people to take medication, eat healthy and maintain their home and provide information on dementia issues and a whole lot more.
The 2-year Project comes as an Audit Commission report warned that Councils will struggle to cope with the financial challenge posed by the country’s ageing population.
Michael O’Higgins, Chairman of the Audit Commission, said recently (18th Feb) that the longer older people live at home the happier they are and the less they cost the taxpayer.
Dora Scott, who manages Accord’s At Home Project, said: “There are 700,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this is set to rise to a staggering 1.4 million over the next 30 years, it’s therefore critical that we put projects like this into place to sustain the wellbeing of people.
“Supporting people with dementia to stay in their own homes allows individuals to have more choice and control about their own futures and encourages people to remain independent for as long as possible.
“This is hugely beneficial not only to them and their families but also to the country as a whole as it can save a vast amount of public money which could reduce the burden on the tax payer.”
The At Home Project is being piloted in East Staffordshire, including Cannock, Lichfield, Stafford and Tamworth. If successful the Project could be rolled out to other areas.
The At Home Project, funded by Staffordshire’s Supporting People, is free and confidential. It supports people with dementia – whatever their age – for a maximum of 2 years.
To access the service, or for more information about it, please contact the At Home Project Team on 0121 568 3965 or email doras@accordha.org.uk