Shirley Evans
Association for Dementia Studies
The MeetingDem Project
Meeting Centres Support Programme
© The Association for Dementia Studies
Quick overview of the project
The JPND European funded MEETINGDEM Project
March 2014 to Feb 2017
Meeting Centres are an innovative way of supporting people with mild to moderate
dementia and their families through an evidence-based, person-centred approach.
Meeting Centres are designed to provide support to people living with dementia and
their families/carers, and offer an enjoyable, flexible and adaptive programme.
This project led by the VUmc University Amsterdam, focuses on establishing Meeting
Centres in the UK, Italy and Poland and evaluating the impact of these Centres after
12-18 months of operation.
www.meetingdem.eu
Quick overview of the project
Meeting Centres – a history
1. Needs study
Informal carers &
GPs 1990-1991
4. Implementation
study and repeated
effect study 11 MCs
2000-2003
2. Development
MC program & pilot
study in 2 MCs in
1993-1994
3. Effect study in 4
MCs 1994-1996
5. Helpdesk Meeting Centers 2004-now
 118 meeting centres in NL, 20 in preparation
 Much interest from many countries in/outside
Europe
 Dissemination to Italy, Aruba, Surinam
Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine
MeetingDem
European
Implementation
study to support
dissemination
VU medisch centrum
Amsterdam
Why were the Meeting Centres
developed?
• Day care, discussion groups and
respite care often fragmented.
• Individual needs often not met.
• Focus on either the client or the family carers.
Benefits
• Higher self esteem.
• Reduced symptons of depression.
• Enhanced mood and behaviour.
• Delay in admission to residential care.
• Carers feel less isolated and more supported.
The consortium: NL – UK – I – PL
Project Work Packages
Phase 1: Exploration and
preparation
Phase 2: Implementation and
evaluation
WP1: Project management (VUmc)
WP2: Exploration, mapping, and
recruitment of organizations for
initiative group in participating
countries (WMU)
WP3: Inventory and analysis of
conditions for successful
implementation of MCSP in
participating countries (UNIBO)
WP4: Preparation of country specific
implementation plans with strategies
and materials (VUmc)
WP7: Dissemination of project results (VUmc)
WP5: Implementation of MCSP (UNIBO)
At least one meeting centre in each of the
participating countries, i.e. Italy, Poland, United
Kingdom
Train the trainer course in each country
Courses for personnel in each country
WP6: Evaluation of Implementation (UW)
Cost-effectiveness on behaviour, mood and
quality of life of people with dementia, sense of
competence of carers and care costs; User
satisfaction; Implementation process
Time Scales
Project Starts
Initiative Group launched
Planning and preparation
Training
Meeting Centre opens
Evaluation
Project Ends
March 2014
July 2014
September 2014 to August 2015
May to August 2015
September 2015
January to August 2016
February 2017
Meeting Centre continues………………….
The UK Project Team
• Association for Dementia Studies
Dawn Brooker; Simon Evans; Karan Jutlla,
Mike Watts, Shirley Evans
• Alzheimer’s Society
Colin Capper, Mary O’Brien
• University College London
Martin Orrell
• London School of Economics
Martin Knapp
The role of the Alzheimer’s Society
• Exploring the potential of a new personcentred model of day opportunity
• Complement existing services and support
offered locally
• Demonstrating delivery as a practical example
for wider implementation
• Working with ADS to bring research and
practice together
The role of the Alzheimer’s Society
• Member of UK Project team and initiative
group as implementation partner
• Helping to understand the facilitators and
barriers to delivery
• Delivering on a local implementation plan,
including identifying funds
• Delivering at least one Meeting Centre and
supporting robust evaluation
Our Evaluation will report on:
1. The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the
MCSP for each country and overall analysis
2. User satisfaction for the MCSP for each
country and overall analysis
3. The facilitators and barriers for the
implementation process of the MCSP for
each country and overall analysis
What is the Meeting Centres Support
Programme?
•
•
Innovative way of supporting people with mild to moderate
dementia and their families.
Evidence-based, person-centred approach focusing on
helping both the person and their family adapt to living with
dementia.
•
Programme running in the Netherlands for over 10 years.
•
Now to be trialled in the UK, Italy and Poland as the
MeetingDem project – 3 year project.
•
Meeting Centre to open in Droitwich in early 2016.
What do Meeting Centres offer?
•
Integrated types of care for both the client and family carer.
•
Support for client and family carer to cope with situations
encountered as a result of the dementia.
•
Small permanent professional team of staff
and volunteers working with relevant health
and welfare services.
•
Range of activities one or more days
a week.
Meeting Individual Needs
Clients :
•
Recreational and social activities, such as reading the newspaper, painting,
singing, preparing lunch and shopping - group activities or adapted to
individual preferences.
•
Training and therapy, such as reminiscence, psychomotor therapy and music
therapy.
Family carers :
•
Informative meetings.
•
Discussion groups.
•
Assistance with practical, emotional and social issues.
For both clients with dementia and their carers :
•
Weekly consulting sessions.
•
Social activities and excursions.
Theoretical background
Adaptive tasks
• Dealing with own disablities
• Preserving an emotional balance
• Maintaining a positive self-image
• Preparing for an uncertain future
• Developing and maintaining social relations
• Dealing with treatment and institutional environment
• Developing an adequate relationship with professional staff
Read All About It!
Why Droitwich and what this means
locally?
• Local to the University & good fit for
population and service configuration
Research: two phases over 36 months
• Phase 1 Engage local organisations, movers
and shakers: Adapt Dutch tools and strategies,
create a pilot Meeting Support Centre
• Phase 2 Operate the pilot MSC and evaluate its
impact
University of Worcester Association for
Dementia Studies
Initiative Group Members
• Association for Dementia
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Studies: Staff and Link Group
Alzheimer’s Society
Age UK
Dorset House
Droitwich Spa Rural Council
for Voluntary Service
Forum for Older People
Community Transport
Thursfields Solicitors
Friends of the Elderly
• Spa Medical Practice
• Corbett Medical practice
• South Worcs Clinical
Commissioning Group
• Worcs NHS
• Worcs Health & Care NHS
Trust
• Worcs County Council
• Wychavon District Council
• Sanctuary Housing
• Grantham day care
The Initiative Group
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Aims of the Initiative Group
The working groups to answer key questions
Defining a time plan
Monthly reporting
Signing the protocol
Opening the MCSP
The Supervisory Committee
Key Decisions of the
Initiative Group
• Who is the service aimed at? Inclusion and exclusion
criteria
• What does the programme consist of for people with
dementia and their carers?
• What’s the best venue?
• Personnel: who is employed/how do we manage
volunteers/training?
• How do we fund it?
• How do we get cooperation between different parties?
• How do we get people to use the service?
Next Steps
• Working Groups continue and make recommedations
to Initiative Group;
• Central location confirmed;
• Staffing needs identified and advertises;
• Train the trainer;
• Continue to align with Dementia Friendly Droitwich
and other services…..
Contact
Shirley Evans
shirley.evans@worc.ac.uk
01905 542664
.
Any questions?