The Isle of Wight NHS Trust’s Dementia Outreach Team has extended their community outreach service to provide a service 7-days-a-week.
The service will be open from 08:00 to 18:00, for people on the Island who have been diagnosed with dementia.
This change follows a successful trial over the last 4 weeks to deliver support to people and families experiencing a dementia-related crisis. To further improve this service, this specialist support is now also available on weekends. People who need this support are seen in their own homes, care homes or residential homes.
It is a small but dedicated team, consisting of Dementia Specialist Interest Healthcare Practitioners based at St. Mary’s Hospital. The team delivers a specialised community service that is focused on the needs of those people and their families, carers and loved ones who have been diagnosed with dementia and are experiencing a dementia-related crisis.
Jo Tucker, Older Persons Cluster Lead, said:
“Our dementia outreach service was launched just over two years ago, providing a five-days-a-week service. We’ve worked closely with people living with dementia, their families, carers, residential and nursing homes and identified that working seven days a week, would make a positive impact to support people in crisis and to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
“The team has worked hard to build relationships with colleagues across the system, including our partner agencies and independent, third sector and voluntary agencies to help provide the best wraparound support for people living with dementia in our community.
“We’re really pleased that moving to a seven-day service will ensure we are able to provide additional support for people living with dementia across our island community in times of crisis.”
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You can find out more about dementia and further support including helpful resources on the following websites:
All very well but you have to be diagnosed first and that is where the issue on the island lies. My elderly mum, who our GP says has dementia, was referred to the hospital 9 months ago and still no sign of an appointment to be seen. How many others are in limbo like this?
So take it up with the hospital and instead focus on the postives these guys are doing
It wasn’t a dig at them. As for your suggestion, get real.
I agree. It’s all very well giving support to those already diagnosed whoop whoop for them! Really, as it’s a long old wait to get there. It’s the ones in limbo who are suffering as they know they’ve got dementia but also know there’s not much hope coming for a very very long time!
How is is right to have only one doctor able to sort this out for an island full of old residents?!
Absolute madness and bull xxxx