Tagged / dementia

BUDI at the Care and Dementia Show, Birmingham 2-4 November 2015

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Dr Fiona Kelly, Dr Suyu Liu and Dr Michelle Heward represented Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI) at the Care and Dementia Show held at the NEC in Birmingham from 2-4th November 2015. The Care and Dementia Show is designed to provide education, products and services to any organisation responsible for the care of older people.
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This show attracted over 300 national exhibitors from many sectors of the care industry, including care home providers. This was a fantastic opportunity for BUDI to network and meet a range of potential collaborators. During the event we met over 200 delegates, many were interested in BUDI’s research and education services, including the MSc Applied Dementia Studies programme.

The show was a good opportunity to meet practitioners in the field of dementia care, and to see first-hand the range of products and services on offer to people affected by dementia.

BUDI Carers’ Forum 2015

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On 9 September, we held our fourth annual Carers’ Forum. Our Carers’ Forum provides an opportunity to hear from local people who are caring for people with dementia on what matters most to them. We were also delighted to welcome Vivien Zarucki, Independent Financial Advisor, as our guest speaker who discussed the financial aspects of caring for someone living with dementia. Alison Adams, Information Worker from the Alzheimer’s Society, was also on hand to provide attendees with details about local support for people affected by dementia.

Carers' forum 2015v2

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a parallel session, people with dementia participated in a range of activities (including using technology such as IPads), and talked to the team about what it’s like living with dementia locally.

Feedback following the event suggests that attendees welcomed the opportunity to share their views and experiences:

  • “Thank you so much for the whole experience. Once again we are very blessed with the care and encouragement we receive”.
  • “Many thanks to all that helped arrange the day, the person we care for enjoy meeting others who are in the same situation as themselves”.
  • “It was good to exchange ideas. People always know something you don’t”.

These views and experiences will enable us to focus our research, education and consultancy services around the issues that matter most to people who are affected by dementia.

FREE – Places for BU Staff and PhD Students for Creative Approaches in Dementia Masterclass

Research themes, Training

BUDI have a few free places available for BU staff and PhD Students to attend its masterclass entitled “Creative Approaches in Dementia” being held on Wednesday 30 September. This masterclass will be an interactive session which will be exploring the power and potential of creativity in supporting good practice and positive experiences of living with dementia.

Our speakers are:

Derek Eland, artist; Jonny Fluffypunk, poet; Andrew Baker, musician and Sharon Muiruri, drama specialist.

To read the flyer please click here . To book your free place please contact Dr Samuel Nyman at snyman@bournemouth.ac.uk

BUDI Financial & Legal Masterclass – 17 June

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There are still places left for BUDI’s upcoming one day Masterclass on the Financial and Legal aspects of Dementia, to be held at the EBC, Landsdowne Campus this Wednesday 17th June.

We have a number of different speakers including Stuart Bradford from Coles Miller solicitors, Esther Donald from Bournemouth Borough Council, Malcolm Skinner, a legal writer for LexisNexis and Vivien Zarucki, an Independent Financial Advisor. It looks set to be an interesting and informative day with plenty of opportunity for participation and discussion.

Should you wish to book a place, please see the link below:-

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/budi-masterclass-financial-legal-aspects-of-dementia-care-tickets-15779535014

Inspirational opening to the Interdisciplinary Research Week

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The BU Dementia Institute kicked off the Interdisciplinary Research Week last night with an inspirational and interactive lecture on improving the lives of people affected by dementia in Dorset.

Professor Anthea Innes opened the week and then went on to explain the interdisciplinary research that her institute carries out and the importance of collaboration in the community.  She informed the audience how the language used to describe the people diagnosed with dementia can often be negative and derogatory and how people are often treated differently upon diagnosis.  The Institute work with care providers, hospitals, GPs, etc. to change their perception and enable better lives for those diagnosed with dementia.

Anthea handed over to her team to show some of the ways that lives can be improved and how a dementia diagnosis does not mean that you can no longer learn.  Andy Baker from the BUDI orchestra had half the audience clapping to the ‘oo-ah’ parts of ‘oo-ah Cantona, say oo-ah Cantona’ and the other half clapping to the ‘wood’ and ‘chuck’ in ‘how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood’.  This was not an easy task but a good demonstration of how to play your part in an orchestra.  He went on to show how his work had given people diagnosed with dementia the ability to learn something new and engage in a rewarding activity.

Clare Cutler then talked about the Intergenerational Technology club where school pupils have welcomed people with dementia and their carers into their schools to work together in an after school club where they have been learning to play on the wii, xbox and ipads together.  This way of working offers opportunities to educate younger generations about dementia and to combat associated stigma, ignorance and fear of what it might mean to live with dementia. 

Samuel Nyman ended the evening with an enthusiastic lecture on ‘Falls Prevention’ and how the amount of time we spend being sedentary increases our chances of falling and injuring ourselves.  Research has shown that the more active we are in our 30’s and 40’s will decrease our chances of developing dementia.  Samuel’s research is looking to develop behavioural change techniques that can be used to encourage a much more active lifestyle.  He showed a clip of people choosing to use an escalator instead of the stairs.  The stairs were transformed into a working piano overnight and usage of the stairs increased by 66% the next day. 

The IRW audience clapping to 'Oo-ah Cantona'

It was an excellent evening with a great opportunity for the audience to engage with the BUDI team.  I’ll end with just one of the positive comments from the audience, which was ‘Wonderful to hear from such enthusiastic and passionate presenters forging strong partnerships with those in the community. Many thanks.’

There are nine more interdisciplinary research events being held this week and so please do come along: https://research.bournemouth.ac.uk/interdisciplinary-research-week-2015/.  Today’s events are:

BUDI Open Public Meeting 2015: Dementia-friendly Communities

To coincide with Dementia Awareness Week (18-24 May 2015), on Wednesday 20 May 2015 from 12 – 3pm, Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI) are hosting their fourth Annual Public Open Meeting. This free event will showcase work that is being undertaken locally to make our community dementia-friendly.

There will be an overview of local progress in the following areas:

  • Becoming dementia-friendly in Dorset and Somerset
  • Dementia-friendly GP Surgeries
  • Home fire safety for people affected by dementia.

Alongside updates on the following creative community involvement projects:

  • Intergenerational IT Club
  • BUDI Orchestra
  • Gardening
  • Care Farming

Anyone interested in dementia-friendly communities is welcome to attend, for more information or to register for your free place:

Call us on: +44 (0)1202 962771

Book online at: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/budi-2015-open-public-meeting-dementia-friendly-communities-tickets-14377261777

BUDI Holds Technology and Dementia Masterclass

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Report by Dr Samuel Nyman

On Wednesday 18th March, the Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI) hosted a Masterclass on the use of technology with people with dementia. This was the first in a series of four Masterclasses set for the 2015 calendar year. We provided a day full of information and inspiration on the use of a range of technology with people with dementia. The morning focused on technology and everyday living, and included sessions on assistive technology, monitoring technology, smart homes, virtual reality, and dementia friendly technology guidelines. The afternoon focused on gaming technology and included opportunity to interact with a range of devices including iPads, an Xbox, Wii, a virtual reality environment, and an educational game. 

We had 20 external guests attend the day, who represented organisations from the public, private, and third sectors. The feedback was on the whole very positive and we look forward to providing the next Masterclass in a few months! 

Next Masterclasses:

Wednesday 17th June:             Financial and Legal Aspects of Dementia Care

Future Masterclasses:

Wednesday 30th September:   Creative Approaches in Dementia

Wednesday 2nd December:     Promoting Wellbeing at the End of Life

 

BUDI attends Quarterly Meeting of the Dementia Action Alliance (DAA)

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Report by Dr Samuel  Nyman:

On 20th March BUDI attended the quarterly meeting of the Dementia Action Alliance (DAA). This was held in London at the College of Occupational Therapists. The day primarily consisted of presentations with time for discussion, and attracted members from private, public, and third sector organisations as well as people with dementia and their carers. The morning centred on risk reduction and the evidence for lifestyle factors to increase / decrease the risks of developing a dementia, and depression was a particular factor that was highlighted as an important risk factor. The afternoon presented two new calls to action:

Dementia Words Matter

From consultations with people with dementia, this call to action is to ask that everyone uses appropriate language when referring to people with dementia. We are to use terms such as “person with dementia” or “person living with dementia”. Terms to be avoided include referring to people with dementia as “sufferers”, “demented”, “senile”, or “victims”. Part of being a dementia friendly university will mean using the correct language when referring to people with dementia and not using terms that are likely to offend.

National Family Carer’s Involvement Network

With support of the Department of Health, this network will be to engage and equip carers to raise the profile of the needs of carers and to influence policy and practice. It will also be a resource for carers to support each other. Anyone who is a carer or knows of a carer of a person with dementia is encouraged to join this initiative and help campaign for better support and services for informal caregivers who play a vital role in supporting people with dementia.

BUDI is a proud member of the DAA and is a great place to network with key stakeholders who have an influence on policy and practice.

BUDI Orchestra Performance 27th March

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Last October, BUDI were lucky enough to secure funding from the ‘Inspired by 2012 Health and Wellbeing’ Fund via Dorset County Council to run another round of our music initiative with people with dementia and their carers from the community.

BUDI Orchestra have been working hard for the last eight weeks to bring you a performance this Friday 27th March, and we would be delighted if you could come along and show your support for all they have achieved in such a short space of time.

 

When? 27th March 2015, 10:30 – 11:30am

Where? The Atrium, Talbot Campus

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Higher Education for Dementia Network (HEDN) 17th March

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Report on Meeting of the Higher Education for Dementia Network (HEDN) 17th March, Worcester

On the 17th March, BUDI attended the quarterly meeting of the Higher Education for Dementia Network (HEDN). It was held in The Hive, University of Worcester, a building co-owned by the university and the council. The Network is an open forum with a purpose to share information and innovation across UK Higher Education providers and to influence the provision of education for the current and future dementia workforce. The host institution gives a presentation at these meetings and on this occasion the University of Worcester decided to initiate discussion about their intentions of developing training for academics wanting to specialise in dementia, and dementia trainers working outside of higher education who want more training in how to design and deliver educational programmes. We also had discussion about how dementia could be better embedded within existing programmes across university departments / courses. At these meetings members also have opportunity to share about their latest developments and initiatives. BUDI was able to share about their work in developing a new MSc in Applied Dementia Studies, and the four Masterclasses that we are running this calendar year. BUDI is proud to be a member of this network and national networks such as these are great not only for sharing innovation and good practice but for working together to help shape the UK’s education provision. This network’s most recent way of achieving this was to develop a national curriculum that is now in the process of being implemented.

 

Cake Sale for Alzheimer’s Society

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Sarah and I will be hosting a bake sale in the Talbot Campus Atrium on Thursday 5th March, from 1-3pm, in aid of our 54km trek along the Isle of Wight coastal path this May Bank Holiday weekend. We’re taking on this test of endurance to support the valuable work of Alzheimer’s Society, and to help to make a difference for people living with dementia.

We would like to raise £295 each and we’ve been challenged to reach 50% of our fundraising target by 23rd March 2015. In order to achieve this goal, we would like to invite you to indulge your sweet tooth in aid of a good cause, and join us in the Atrium this Thursday afternoon for cakes and treats!

We’ll have a wide variety of cakes, biscuits, chocolates, and other treats available, along with vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and sugar-free options. If you would like to donate some baked goods for our stall, please contact us at snoone@bournemouth.ac.uk or lreynolds@bournemouth.ac.uk to make arrangements.

We’re not putting any prices on our cakes. We want people to donate however much they would like to (loose change also welcomed!). Alternatively, if you would like to donate to our fundraising efforts online, please visit our JustGiving team page at http://www.justgiving.com/teams/IOW2015-BUDI

To give you an idea of what your generosity could mean for people with dementia:

  • £5 could pay for one person to attend a half hour session at a monthly Dementia Café, providing information and support for people with dementia and their carers.
  • £20 could pay for 100 copies of Understanding and respecting the person with dementia – one of the Society’s most requested factsheets
  • £50 could fund a PhD researcher for one day to continue vital research into understanding the causes of dementia, how it can be treated and, ultimately, to find a cure.
  • £100 could pay for 4 weekly visits by an experienced Dementia Support Worker to someone affected by dementia offering them one-on-one support to help them feel less alone and to identify the services that could help them.
  • £120 could pay to run Talking Point for one day – the Society’s 24/7 online community for all people affected by dementia.

We have already received some very generous donations following our last blog post, and we would like to thank you for your support so far. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday!

RADIQL: Reminiscence Arts and Dementia

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Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a one-day seminar hosted by Age Exchange (http://www.age-exchange.org.uk/), at The Kings’ Fund, London, to find out more about RADIQL (Reminiscence Arts and Dementia: Impact on Quality of Life) – a method that uses Reminiscence Arts to improve wellbeing and quality of life in people with dementia.

The day started with an overview of RADIQL, described by the Artistic Director of Age Exchange as “reminiscence empowering people in the present”. RADIQL encompasses two main elements: a structured Reminiscence Arts intervention, and a workforce training programme for care staff working in relationship-centred environments. We were then given an overview of the national context – the recent CQC report ‘Cracks in the Pathway’: the quality of dementia care in health and social services, and a presentation by KCL’s Jo Moriarty on care workers’ views of compassionate care.

The Keynote was provided by Dame Eileen Sills who continued the theme of ‘compassion’ by providing the back-story of ‘Barbara’s Story’, which I’m sure many within health and social care fields will have heard of already. Barbara’s Story is a dramatization created by Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to raise awareness about dementia among their staff, and show the meaning of ‘kindness’ in the workplace, emphasising the impact that every member of staff has on patient experience. Following the success of ‘Barbara’s Story’, the Trust have since developed as series for use as training materials. You can watch ‘Barbara’s Whole Story’ here (with tissues at the ready!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtA2sMAjU_Y&feature=share&list=UUbJBh2MFKrX6Lf8bJ7_ZGWQ

The afternoon sessions saw attendees partaking in interactive workshops, demonstrating the activities one might engage with during a RADIQL session. Before the day, attendees were asked to choose whether to be a ‘participant’ or a member of an ‘audience’, i.e. whether to take part in the session, or observe a session from an objective perspective. These workshops were the most insightful part of the day, giving some first-hand experience into how the sessions may be conducted. For anyone planning seminars or ‘how-to’ workshops in the future – I would highly recommend using a similar form of dissemination, if appropriate to your cause, as this seemed to resonate with most of us as an effective and engaging way to demonstrate methods and disseminate research to peers.

The RADIQL method is currently being evaluated by Royal Holloway University London in a three year pilot project funded by Guys & St Thomas’ Charity. More information about the day, and the presentations provided, can be found here: http://www.age-exchange.org.uk/radiql-the-kings-fund/

A paper copy of the interim report and a guide to RADIQL  are available in the BUDI office (PG63) if anyone is interested.