By 2014 services are expected to be able to support early diagnosis and intervention, and enable everyone to “live well with dementia”. Yet evidence from the Department of Health’s consultation on the strategy showed that the quality of care is being undermined by a major skills shortage.
Annie Stevenson, head of older people’s services at the Social Care Institute for Excellence, says the skills and knowledge gaps are huge, particularly among residential and home care workers. Many social care workers are failing to recognise and identify different forms of dementia, she says.
One third in care homes
There are 700,000 people with the condition in the UK – one-third of whom live in care homes – which is expected to double in 30 years. Two-thirds of care home residents have a form of dementia, according to Alzheimer’s Society statistics.
Does the subject of Dementia have an effect on you either directly or indirectly? Do you work in this environment? Does a fmaily member suffer from the condition? Maybe you care for a person with Dementia? NCC Home Learning supply a number of courses written on the subject of Dementia and are able to assist you as an employee to meet the criteria stated above or to simply provide knowledge for your own personal development. Please click on the following links directly through to our Dementia courses: Positive Dementia Care.
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Nick Cooper
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