Alzheimer’s & Dementia
S U P P O R T
S E R V I C E S
Sarah Parsons
Senior Nurse Service Modernisation,
Adult Medicine, Darent Valley Hospital
Dementia Buddy Pilot Project
Sarah Parsons
Senior Nurse Service Modernisation, Adult Medicine, DVH
Ann Aldous-Dunn
Dementia Buddy Co-ordinator, ADSS
March 2013
Background
• Dementia costs the health and social care economy more than
cancer, heart disease and stroke combined (Alzheimer’s Society,
2007).
• In 2010 in West Kent 7,834 people were estimated to have late
onset dementia.
• By 2013, this is expected to have increased by 13% to 8,837 and by
2023 an estimated 50% increase to 11,692 people. (Kent County
Council and NHS West Kent, 2010).
• Intermediate care services did not respond to the needs of people
with dementia, as a consequence individuals with dementia were
more likely to be admitted to hospital, and once there, the length of
stay tends to be considerably longer than expected.
•
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

DVH Case Mix Analysis 2010
Average length of stay being 34.7 days
‘Non acute’ admissions
Poor outcome
What is a Dementia Buddy?
A trained volunteer who has a good understanding
of dementia and knows how to engage positively
with people with dementia to improve their well being.
The Dementia Buddy Scheme
• The Dementia Buddy scheme is a pilot project, initially
running for one year, up to end of June 2013.
• It is funded by Kent Adult Social Services
• £30,000 was awarded following a competitive tender
process to the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services
(ADSS), a local independent charity.
• The funding for the project was used to create a
Dementia Buddy co-ordinator post to facilitate the
recruitment, training and supervision of 20 Dementia
Buddy Volunteers.
• The volunteers receive full training from the Alzheimer’s
& Dementia Support Services to become ‘Dementia
Buddies’ for patients with dementia who are admitted to
Darent Valley Hospital.
Training
• Core induction at Darent Valley Hospital (DVH) which includes
infection control, food handling & health & safety issues
• Adult protection training – Level 1 – Kent County Council
• Mental capacity act training – Level 1 – Kent County Council
• Dementia and cultural awareness in dementia training – ADSS
• Induction – ADSS – Confidentiality, Adult Protection reporting
• Day to day support, monthly supervision & annual appraisal
• All volunteers have an enhanced CRB (now known as the Disclosure,
and Barring check)
• Two references taken up and are assessed by the Occupational
Health team at DVH.
Increased social
interaction
Keep basic
records
Partnership
working with
staff to ensure
best outcomes
for patients with
dementia
Engage in
activities to
maintain
cognitive
capabilities
Provide
information and
support to
carers
Encourage and
assist with food
and drink
Signposting to
support
services.
Potential Outcomes
• Improvement in the overall hospital experience for
people with dementia
• Improve the sense of well being and dignity through
cognitive stimulation and improvement in nutrition by
assisting with food /drink intake
• Reduction in Length of Stay by improving wellbeing &
food/drink intake and maintaining cognitive stimulation.
• Reduction in the number of 28 day emergency re-
admissions by ensuring that the Carers/person with
Dementia feel more supported and therefore more able
to cope after leaving hospital, particularly with access to
support services.
• Increase in number of patients with dementia
returning to own homes rather than admission
to hospital or placement in Care Home.
This will be achieved by giving early support to
the person with dementia and their carer with
information about local services such as short
breaks & care at home services
• Reduction in cost to Acute Trust of requiring,
one to one nursing, of ‘at risk’ patients with
dementia
Scope of Project
Initially the project has been piloted
on Ebony Ward, the Elderly Care Ward, at
Darent Valley Hospital with up to four
buddies in situ (dependent on availability)
between 10:00am until 2:00pm, Monday to
Friday
Implementation
• The Dementia Buddy Co-ordinator was recruited and
took up post in June 2012.
• The post is managed by ADSS but is based at Darent
Valley Hospital with additional management support
from the Hospital’s Dementia Project Lead.
• Agreement for pathways, protocols and documentation
which both the ADSS and DVH were happy to use for the
project.
• A monthly project steering group was implemented to
monitor progress and evaluate the impact of the project,
with membership consisting of representatives from the
hospital, ADSS and Kent Adult Social Services
Commissioning.
• Baseline information was collected to enable the
evaluation process of both qualitative and quantative
data
This consisted of:
 An observational audit using the Observational Person,
Interactions and Environment (PIE) Method for Hospital Audit of
Dementia created by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust
 Satisfaction surveys requesting feedback from ward staff,
dementia buddies, patients and/or carers/relatives
 Data specific to Ebony Ward including Length of Stay, incident
reports/falls, complaints, 1:1 at risk nursing requirements, and
discharge destination/outcome; Readmission rates.
 Aim to repeat same data analysis for interim review 6 months
after implementation
Going Live!
• First Buddy in
place on Ebony
Ward in August
• Media Launch on
26 October
Progress so far
• Currently 14 volunteer dementia buddies are in place on
Ebony Ward having completed the relevant processes &
training.
• Recently (February 2013) the Buddy Service was
extended to Maple Ward (Orthopaedics) with 3
volunteers in place
• 12 more buddies are at various stages within the
recruitment pathway
• Making a total of 26 buddies
• 14 new applications received
• 3 potential recruits would like to work weekends once
the service has expanded to 7 days per week
Future Plans
• Dementia Challenge • Charitable Funds:
funding:
 Dementia Specialist
Practitioner
 Environmental changes:
 Signage
 Pilot Colour Scheme in bays




(Ebony)
Pictures relating to colours
Bed spreads
Curtains
Toilet Seats
 Picture books/memory
boxes
 Reminiscence corridor
 MP3
 Sensory Garden
• Laundry
• Expansion of Dementia
Buddy Scheme