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Dementia Care Best Practice - Housing 21

For Dementia ActionWeek from 20-26 May this year, the Housing LIN has gathered examples of where extra care schemes or other housing related community services have supported people with dementia to develop meaningful relationships to prevent unwanted social isolation or reduce loneliness.

The examples range from informal arrangements supported by staff or other residents as well as more formal service provision.  Today’s example of best practice comes from Housing 21

Fuller Court – linking with the local social prescribing service

One of our residents was supported by his family to move to Fuller Court from Aylesbury. The move was made in his best interests as his family were struggling to support him from a distance which included a 120 mile trip. He had been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and was really struggling with the transition and being away from all his usual routines and familiar faces. Not long after moving to Fuller Court his condition deteriorated and he showed signs of depression - perhaps due to his sudden change of environment, new lifestyle and living arrangements.

One of the extra care housing team came across the Social Prescribing service by chance and immediately applied for him to have an initial meeting with the Social Prescribing Officer. They met along with his family who had Power of Attorney and discussed his interests.  As a result he was helped to pursue local walking, football and swimming opportunities which he had always wanted to do. This seemed to have a positive impact and he became less withdrawn and was attending more coffee mornings and other court based activities  Soon afterwards he moved to a flexi care living scheme.   

Note: To read this and other case studies, go to the full report on our 'Focus on Dementia' webpages at: Going the Extra Step. A compendium of best practice in dementia care

The views expressed in this feature have been provided by the featured organisations and are not necessarily those of the Housing Learning and Improvement Network. 

If you have any examples from your own organisation that you would like to share please send details to Katey Twyford and Wendy Wells, Housing and Dementia co-leads for the Housing LIN,  dementia@housinglin.org.uk .  We will be developing a compendium of best practice examples to go on the Housing LIN website.