The University of Sheffield
The School of Nursing and Midwifery

Relationship-Centred Dementia Care Education and Research 2013-2014

Hello!

Welcome to the Dementia Care Education and Research webpage at the University of Sheffield School of Nursing and Midwifery.

This page outlines the dementia care education we currently offer, research that has been undertaken by members of our team, and provides information about local initiatives relating to dementia care. We also signpost links to important organisations and policy developments in the field of dementia care - be they local or national.

Please come back from time to time to find out more about our distinctive approach to Dementia Care Education and Research and to check on new developments.

If you have any suggestions about items to include on this page or any comments please contact David Reid (d.reid@sheffield.ac.uk).

Courses on offer:

Foundations in Relationship-Centred Dementia Care

We currently offer a ten week (one study day a week) 20 credit unit (at levels 5 and 6) in Foundations in Relationship-Centred Dementia Care. This unit is aimed at all health and social care professionals who support people with dementia and their families. The purpose of the course is to encourage students to 'walk in the footsteps' of people living with dementia - both those diagnosed and those affected within families, to support students to question their own attitudes about dementia and use this learning about relationships to discover new, positive approaches towards dementia care. Classroom-based lectures, group-work, reflection and practice visits are combined to give students what we hope is a thorough, enjoyable and enlightening learning experience.

This course aims to support the development of 'dementia-friendly' environments by equipping students with the latest policy and research in this emerging area of practice. To this end we are fortunate enough to offer students the chance to learn firsthand from local people with dementia and family carers what it is like to live with dementia, with valued support from Sheffield Alzheimer's Society and Barnsley Independent Alzheimer's Disease Society (BIADS).

We also offer students opportunities to learn more about communication and creativity from John Killick (poet and writer), about caring for a family member with Jane Watson (daughter and Manager, Balmoral Care Home), about how memory works and fails in dementia with Dr Dan Blackburn (Consultant, STH NHS Trust), and about life history work and the involvement of people with dementia in service delivery with Dr Jane McKeown (Community Nurse, SHSC NHS Foundation Trust and University Teacher).

Dementia Awareness Study Days

We also offer a Dementia Awareness study day. This study day - typically offered on a bespoke basis to NHS Trusts - gives students from health and social care backgrounds a concise overview of key changes in thinking about dementia care that have occurred during the last twenty years. We draw upon the research evidence-base and theoretical developments that have occurred across a range of disciplines, to explore the experience of dementia. Students are encouraged to participate through sharing their clinical experiences and are supported to consider whether or not the challenges they encounter are located in a person's dementia or others' understanding of dementia.

For more information about the Foundations course or the Study days please email: d.reid@sheffield.ac.uk

Involving People with Dementia in Service Feedback Evaluation and Planning

A project is being undertaken through South Yorkshire Collaborations in Leadership for Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC - SY) exploring the ways that people with dementia can be better involved in service feedback, evaluation and planning.

Fundamental to informing the project has been the involvement of people living with dementia, some of who made a film about their experience of having dementia and the importance of keeping involved and 'having a say'. The Voice of dementia can be viewed on the following link: http://vimeo.com/57843638

A City Wide Dementia Involvement Group (SHINDIG) is being piloted and evaluated as part of the project. This forum brings together between 20 and 30 people with dementia and their family carers to 'have a say' on topics such as experience of GP services and what helps people with dementia to live well. You can check on the progress of this project at the following link: http://clahrc-sy.nihr.ac.uk/theme-knowledge-projects-involving-people-with-dementia.html

For more information please contact Jane McKeown: j.mckeown@sheffield.ac.uk

Sheffield Dementia Information Pack 2013

The Sheffield Dementia Information Pack was launched in September 2012 with the aim of improving the provision of information to people with serious memory problems or a diagnosis of dementia and their supporters. The project was funded originally by three local charities (Marjorie Coote Old People´s Charity Fund, the Sheffield Town Trust and the Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust) and, recently, by the Department of Health. It is intended as an introductory guide to sources of assessment, advice and support for people with memory problems or dementia and their families. The Pack is updated every 6 months to ensure accuracy and has four main sections:

Download the latest version of the Sheffield Dementia Information Pack (PDF document) at www.sheffield.ac.uk/snm/dementiapack

Told in South Yorkshire - Life Story Work and People with Dementia

A group comprising people with dementia, carers, health and social care staff and academics are leading a programme of research and practice development around the use of Life Story Work. This group is taking forward the research findings from Jane McKeown's PhD. This work programme includes:

This work is funded through CLAHRC - SY, Foundation of Nursing Studies and Sheffield Hospitals' Charity

For more information: www.toldinsouthyorkshire.co.uk or contact Jane McKeown (j.mckeown@sheffield.ac.uk) or Tony Ryan (t.ryan@sheffield.ac.uk)

Dementia exhibition: friendshipSouth Yorkshire Dementia Creative Arts Exhibition 2013: Friendship

The 5th Annual Dementia Creative Arts Exhibition was organised by the School of Nursing and Midwifery from June 22-28 2013. There was an exhibition of creative art contributed by people with dementia, families and supporters and dementia care practitioners from around the region.

John Killick, poet and significant contributor to ideas about achieving effective communication in dementia care, read an original poem written for this year’s exhibition on Friendship and Dementia. John read a new poem he had co-written with Karen Downes called 'The Dementia Family' at the exhibition on Tuesday 25 June. Read it at: www.syorksdementiaexhibition2013.blogspot.com

Dementia Champions in Nursing

The exhibition is a place to think about dementia and how to live well with dementia. Gill Ayling, the lead for the Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge, co-chaired a half day conference for nurses in South Yorkshire who have or who are looking to introduce ‘Dementia Champions’ on Wednesday 26th June. This event was a success as practitioners from across the region made presentations on their work and ambitions. It was decided that we would hold a follow up conference in 2014 and, in the meantime, to create a South Yorkshire Dementia Champions Forum to keep in closer touch online. Please contact David Reid (d.reid@sheffield.ac.uk) for more details about how to join this forum. In addition to discussing and sharing ways of improving care and support for people with dementia and their supporters, the forum will be a space for arranging social events to strenthen relationships.

Dementia Friends

The Dementia Friends initiative was launched this year with the aim of recruiting and training 1 million Dementia Friends volunteers by 2015 (www.dementiafriends.org.uk). Maria and Belinda ran an information session at this year's exhibition - many thanks to you both for doing this.

Young Friends Zone @DCAE5

We ran two workshops during the exhibition for young people aged 5-15. Art created form the workshops was displayed in the exhibition. If you have any further ideas for working in partnership to include younger people in next year's exhibition please contact David Reid.

More about the exhibition

See the latest images and news on our dementia exhibition blog

If you would like to become a Friend of the annual Dementia Creative Arts Exhibition and join a mailing list to keep informed please contact David Reid, Lecturer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Sheffield (0114 222 2060; email d.reid@sheffield.ac.uk).

Dementia Links

On the right of this page is a list of links to what we consider to be important organisations and policy documents. There are links to the Alzheimer's Society (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and Alzheimer's Scotland - Action on Dementia.

There is also a link to the English National Dementia Strategy, published in February 2009.

There is also a link to DASN International, an internet based international support network established in 2000 to: Promote respect and dignity for persons with dementia; Provide a forum for the exchange of information; Encourage support mechanisms such as local groups, counselling groups and Internet linkages; and Advocate for services for people with dementia.