This category is open to all staff and organisations supporting people with dementia living at home.
The judging panel will be looking for the sort of initiatives that help people with dementia and their families stay in control of their own situation and challenge stereotypical attitudes towards dementia. These might relate to -
• assisting people to keep well, engaged and active
• realising personalised ambitions or dreams
• connecting people and families
• channelling interests in a new and creative way; they may illustrate how major challenges can be overcome
• involves people with dementia in creative pursuits which demonstrates and illustrates their strengths and potential
Entries might relate to any point in the experience of dementia; from the provision of a diagnosis, living well with increasing support or an initiative that supports someone to remain at home even when experiencing complex changes or the end of life.
All entries must be able to demonstrate specific benefit to people with dementia. Entries which include extracts from people with dementia, carers and/or family members will be especially welcomed. The judging panel will be looking for entries which demonstrate many of these highly valued aspects –
• Including people with dementia, their carers, partners and families in key decision-making and activities, as well as making sure they remain included in their local communities
• Enabling people with dementia to stay empowered by continuing to use their own skills and maintain independence for as long as possible
• Maintaining the dignity, equality and respect of people with dementia, their carers, partners and families, as outlined in the Standards of Care for Dementia in Scotland and the Charter of Rights for people with dementia and their carers
• Connecting people with dementia, their carers, partners and families to information, advice, services, care, activities and peer support
• Ensuring a personalised approach by recognising and working according to the needs and wishes of people with dementia, their carers, partners and families
• Promoting the understanding of dementia, increasing knowledge about the illness and increasing empathy with people affected by it
• Working in partnership with other groups in the public, voluntary or independent sector to provide care, support or an activity
A suggested structure has been outline below, to aid the writing of your submission -
• Brief introduction to your initiative (Please remember the judges may not know about your initiative so write as clearly and concisely as possible about your project)
• Describe what prompted the initiative, what was done, who was involved in the initiative, any challenges that had to be overcome, how they were overcome, what worked well and the benefits of having the initiative in place
• How this reflects the content and aspirations of Promoting Excellence and the Standards of Care for Dementia in Scotland
• Provide evidence of evaluation; how you know it is making a difference to the quality of life for people with dementia, their families and carers
• Describe if and how your initiative will be sustained
