An exploration of the UK unpaid carer's world



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Page created on 16 Oct and permanently under construction without updates.

The aim is to provide the more- important text forgive the long video to provide an overview, and aid understanding of the DIY DMC project.  Within the context of saving time, the reader has the option of reading the selected text in context.  Sup2u

Studious  he's using a laptop   Skelly offers all this:


When it's time for a cuppa, look at a video.


£

13 Oct  - A meeting attended by carees, carers, volunteers and staff at the Leominster DMC was told that it needs £80,000 to run it per annum.  There was disquiet over future funding.    1.1 here

More £ at Meetingdem   1.7 below



Care

The triangle

There is a care-triangle of the caree, the carer and the  DMC as a cohesive and innovative way of dealing with the growing numbers of dementia sufferers. Participation in the DMC care provision and process is the key characteristic of the DMC.  The DMC focuses the "care inwards" on carees and carers who soon learn how to focus their "care outwards".  lower 3 here



Carees

Personal care needs

The principal criterion for participation within your DIY DMC is that carees' personal care needs ie WC and medication, are met.  If carees are unable to manage, their carers must be there.  That means no popping out for ten minutes.   3.2  here


Activities

Jenga is a game which calls for participants to get up and be in front of a tower of wooden slats.  Some carees will need help with that very short journey. A certain amount of manual dexterity is required for the removal of one slat.  more     1.13  here


Part and parcel

Carees are part and parcel of the "care-outwards" to other carees and carers and are not solely receivers of "care-inwards".  You can imagine that "care-outwards" might be aimed at the specific carer as a subconscious thank you.  As much as that may be valid, there is a positively-pervasive group care-outwards which reaches the parts that conventional daycare centres don't reach.   5  here


Fewer depressive symptoms 

The main benefits for people with dementia who visit the DMCs regularly are that they show fewer depressive symptoms and they have a higher self-esteem than carees in regular daycare.  Furthermore, admission to a care home is delayed significantly.   2.3 here


Carers


Morale

Their morale is heightened by participating with their peers, and the DMC staff/volunteers, in the care given to their loved-ones, and other carees with dementia.  Participation in the care activities results in greater understanding of the wider benefits to oneself as a carer, and those with dementia.   7 here


Sharing

Carers enjoy and benefit from sharing the caring when, normally, it is a one-to-one activity.  They enjoy the interaction within the normal activities, and occasional carer-group cohesion in the backroom together while their carees are busy and being looked after elsewhere.   7 here

The main benefits for ...  carers is that they experience more support, have an increased feeling of competence, and feel less burdened.  Their morale is heightened by participating with their peers, and the DMC staff/volunteers, in the care given to their loved-ones, and others, with dementia.  2.5 here

Think again

You need to wear the carer's moccasins.   11.3 here





Carees and carers together  not forgetting a volunteer or three

Start and finish times are vital.   

1445  - hats and coats - -  reminder of programme for the next week                 6.2.2 here

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Singing.  We don't need to rely on instruments, song sheets, technology etc, and can enjoy benefiting from the unaccompanied human voice.  Song sheets used when singing the old favourites defeat attempts to remember.
1.1.1 here

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We're the happi - est, hippi - est, snappi - est, nifti - est, caring carers in town here

Stated there - carees care for their carers and rank as carers within the song.  


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Learn something new, such as a second language or a musical instrument.

Play board games with your kids or grandchildren.

Or get your friends together for a weekly game of cards. Mix it up by trying new games. 

The extra bonus of activities like these?   Social connections also help your brain.

1.2.2 here

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Daycare centres

Daycare centres and DMCs 

The huge difference between a daycare centre and a DMC is that carers participate in the wider aspects of the care process which is person-centred.  This, essentially, is treating the person, the caree, with dignity and respect: understanding their history, lifestyle, culture and preferences: and looking at situations from the point of view of the person and not a set of symptoms.  2.1 here



Dementia    Various extracts here - no guarantee of brevity.


Dementia Friendly Communities  

A dementia-friendly community can be described as:

‘A city, town or village where people with dementia are understood, respected and supported, and confident they can contribute to community life. 

In a dementia-friendly community, people will be aware of and understand dementia, and people with dementia will  feel included and involved, and have choice and control over their  day-to-day lives. 

Alzheimer’s Society, 2013      here


Not Many

With only 300 DFCs, on the cards, it is not a large platform, . . .  2 here


A two-way process
  • The opportunity to ensure that your DIY DMC is seen by your local community as being involved in a two-way process of support must not be missed.

  • The participants, volunteers, and staff when appointed will all feel they are saying thank you to the community for the help received in setting up the DMC.   5 here
South Gloucestershire

More than 100 individuals, community groups, charitable organisations and businesses in South Gloucestershire attended an event today (January 12, 2015) to mark the official launch of South Gloucestershire becoming dementia-friendly.    

That would have called for at least one large-scale public meeting at the start of the project.  here


Frightening

A diagnosis of dementia can be frightening for those affected by the syndrome, their carers and other family members. Learning more about dementia can help. Carers participate in discussion based on sharing their problems and helping each other.  According to interest and need, dementia experts join the discussions.  9 here



Equipment   the essence of DIY

TOSS AND TALK BALLS all £14.95

You put your DIY hat on, decide to buy some balloons in town . .   You produce lists of, say, fifteen questions etc.  

You then paint a ball with fifteen numbers.  12 here


First estimated equipment total  £3350    6.2.5 here

                                                           

                                   




Meetingdem

There is an international project (Meetingdem  more) to increase the number of Dementia Meeting Centres (DMCs) based on 125 of them within Holland, successfully introduced over the last twenty years.   Intro here

  • 1.5   The project must succeed. Review and revision of UK "present fragmented and inefficient dementia care" (see Impact here) is long overdue. .Ways of improving the present over-involved procedure for creating UK DMCs must be found.  Results divided by time in motion proves the point.

  • 1.7  The project will succeed.  If only due to the vast sum of money put into it, if it doesn't succeed, there will be a lot of highly paid, highly bright, highly eggy academic faces at Worcester University.        

  • vast sum of money here 3.1

  • source here
 

More £ - Leominster Dementia Meeting Centre

A contract and specification is agreed with the Alzheimer’s Society (as lead
organisation), in partnership with the University of Worcester, for the period
1st October 2015 to December 2016 at a value of £102,7k;                            Recommendation (a) here

Is it true?  £102,7k = £102,700   The first item on this page said   A meeting attended by carees, carers, volunteers and staff at the Leominster DMC was told that it needs £80,000 to run it per annum.    
 


Person-centred care

Person-centred care, essentially, is treating the person with dignity and respect: understanding their history, lifestyle, culture and preferences: and looking at situations from the point of view of the person and not a set of symptoms.   11 here




Reminiscence therapy

Reminiscence therapy is well-used within DMCs and participants enjoy including their photos and other memorabilia in the reminiscence sessions. Making the most of long-term memory contributes to overall wellbeing.  Sharing memories is a major part of that.    13  here

The simple aim of reminiscence therapy is to build on what remains of long-term memory to aid the more dysfunctional short-term memory.  It includes helping carees improve and maintain good mental health.  1.1 here



Video


Normal people who become less normal and talk about dementia here.

Long Intro here.

Leominster Meeting Centre here

MeetingDem Poland here



Volunteers

Volunteers participate in the DMC care process. They are a key part of the care provision.  They learn the broad principles within and ethos of the international project to increase the numbers of DMCs.    15 here  1 here






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