Hello old friend, sit next to me,
I`m still the man I used to be,
Do you remember way back when?
We played with sticks and built a Den?
And how we ran through cobbled streets,
Drinking Tizer and eating sweets,
The times we had without a care,
Times that I would like to share,
It's yesterday that troubles me,
I can’t remember, do you see?
I can remember long ago,
But just last night it isn’t so,
But even though my memory`s fading,
Like winter leaves that are shading,
Recent thought`s inside my head,
Now gone forever, almost dead,
But look in my eyes and you will see,
I`m still the man I used to be,
Please old friend, sit next to me

The programme has been developed for care home residents with severe dementia who can no longer speak up for themselves. They may be immobile, and prone to infections. They often have difficulty swallowing, and may suffer from pain.

The programme is designed to provide residents living with advanced dementia in residential care with meaningful activities through therapeutic touch, & music. The Namaste Care Programme is on trial at several care homes in South London.

We often talk about best practice for those people living with advanced dementia. But as this article points out, despite the best intentions of care home staff they tend to focus on the physical needs of many residents with the later stages of dementia. Keeping them pain free, & ensuring they're well hydrated takes priority.

But how often do we stop to think if a resident has had a smile from a knowing face or the gentle stroke of a warm hand? We all crave human touch. Imagine if the only moments you felt human touch was when you were being showered, toileted and dressed.

Many residents with advanced dementia are left alone isolated in their room or chair. Despite the best medical care, it can be easy to ignore the emotional needs of someone who can't speak up.

The Namaste Care Programme emphasises the value of the human spirit and the uniqueness of each resident. Residents are not left alone but embraced and surrounded by others. The Namaste Care Programme uses aromatherapy, music and reading to connect with a resident.

At the heart of the programme is the notion that we all need a loving touch. If we learn to approach the routine requirements of day to day life in a loving and meaningful way, a once common place task can become an act of compassion.

I really hope the programme is adopted by more care homes in the UK.

Here are a few tips that might help

You must be realistic. Carefully assess what the person’s limitations and strengths are and shape the holiday accordingly. Also be realistic about your own limitations and strengths--can you handle the person if he or she becomes agitated, wanders or is unable to sleep?

If the person's dementia is mild, you may want to go on a package holiday where everything is arranged on your behalf. If you choose this option, talk to the travel agency and tour operator prior to booking. Make sure that they are aware of your requirements, and that all the support you need will be in place.

Plan your itinerary well in advance. If you are considering paying a visit to friends or relatives, or if a number of you are going away together, discuss the situation and how each person can help. Make them aware of what dementia is and what the symptoms can look like. Minimize time spent with large groups, noisy places or energetic children. Avoid busy, chaotic locations.

Be prepared. Get plenty of rest before the trip. Research in advance what medical services are offered at your destination, in case you need them. Bring a brief medical history with you, including a current medication list, doctor’s telephone numbers and a list of any allergies.

Limit the length of plane or car journeys. Bring photos, hobbies or other distractions in case the person with dementia becomes agitated.

If you are traveling by air, try & avoid stopovers, fly non stop where possible. Carry all boarding passes, passports, and other important documents in your hand luggage. Request a middle or window seat for your companion and an aisle seat for yourself so that they can’t wander away without your noticing. Pre-board the plane. Pack all medicines in a cabin bag.

Keep things as familiar as possible. For example, keep bedtimes and eating times as close to normal as possible. If the person has never travelled on an airplane before, this is not the best time to introduce something new.

If you are staying in a hotel, request a large and quiet room. Avoid rooms with sliding glass doors.

Have a backup plan. That way you can react to mishaps without become overly anxious yourself. Recognize when the patient is becoming upset or agitated, and stop any activities when necessary in order to get some rest.

In short, planning is the key to having a holiday that’s enjoyable and safe. It is realistic to assume that the confusion of dementia will increase on a trip, leading to discomfort, fear or agitation. Being prepared can help mediate any mishaps and make for a safe and enjoyable trip.

Cameron said it was a national scandal that the level of diagnosis and awareness of dementia is “shockingly low”, and called for an all –out fightback to help find a cure for the disease. In much the same way everyone worked together to finding cures for Cancer in the 1970’s.

The proposals followed a recent Alzheimer's Society report, Dementia 2012 a national challenge.

It found that there are now 800,000 people with dementia in the UK and that number is expected to rise to one million over the next year. An estimated 670,000 family and friends spend a large part of their lives caring for people with dementia, and the society estimates the current cost to the NHS at £23bn a year.

The report recommended that more health and social care staff should have access to dementia training, and more schemes such as dementia cafes should be offered in the community to provide appropriate peer-led support.

A need for better awareness and tolerance of those living with dementia was also highlighted.

The Guardian Newspaper has a live discussion exploring some of the proposals put forward by Cameron and asking what we can do to increase support for people with dementia. Join the Guardian from noon on Wednesday 18 April until 2pm to discuss this and more. You can also tweet your questions at @GdnHealthcare

As a nation we need to keep the momentum going until we find a cure for this awful condition. We also need to change people’s perceptions of the disease and wipe away the dreadful stigma associated with the word dementia.

Our former website had served us well, and its design has stood the test of time over the past 3 years, but needed updating. When we started the company we had 1 product to sell now we have nearly 100.

So why has it taken us so long to redevelop our website then? Well, we were so busy developing and selling our new products that planning our website always ended up on the back burner. Also we were very critical about what we wanted. We are our own worst enemies and changed our minds many times over the development period.

The new website was designed to be minimalistic with a clean, uncluttered look which is a makes it much easier for people to navigate their way round the new site.

We would like to say a massive thank you to Katrina from Kat Productions for all her patience and hard work.

Also Paul from Get Extra for  the SEO  Ad words campaign.

MPs warned that funding cuts were becoming “more urgent day by day” and said the Government needed to overhaul the social care system and raise funding.

The report also warned that the government’s reforms of the NHS were proving a “distraction” and putting attempts to save £20 billion by 2014 in jeopardy.

The committee said far-reaching reorganisation of health services was needed to make the savings, yet NHS trusts were still trying to “salami slice” budgets and reach their targets with short-term cuts.

The situation was not sustainable and the magnitude of the challenge had not been fully grasped, it said.

The committee recommended that the Government consider diverting more money from the NHS into social care.

The survey conducted on behalf of the committee found that councils had reduced spending on care home placements by providing fewer places and driving down the fees paid to homes.

Two thirds also planned to cut long-term support in the community.

Councils were also planning to increase charges made to patients. More than a third had raised their maximum personal charge for social care, almost four in 10 had increased their charges for residential care and half had raised their charges for services such as home help.

Stephen Dorrell, the chairman of the committee, said: “Social care needs to move dramatically up the priority scale to create a more integrated service.”

The report warned that money which should have been spent on integrating the NHS and social care had gone on propping up current services.

The King’s Fund has already estimated that there are 800,000 elderly people who need care but do not receive state help.

Louise Lakey, the policy manager at the Alzheimer’s Society, said “chronic underinvestment” in social care must end.

Michelle Mitchell, the charity director at Age UK, said: “Social care is in crisis. There are fewer services available, yet the numbers of people needing social care is growing.” She urged ministers to heed calls for urgent action.

Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, said: “We are giving more money to social care — in 2010 the Government committed an extra £7.2 billion for the future of social care. This money means that councils have enough to maintain the current levels of access and eligibility.” He said councils needed “to work smarter” with their “health professional colleagues”.

The report said NHS reforms continue to complicate the push for efficiency gains. NHS bodies were “squeezing existing services simply to get through the first year of the programme” rather than looking for long-term reforms, it found.

Mr Lansley said: “Our plans for modernisation are essential if we are to put the NHS on a sustainable footing for the future.”

The design of a care environment directly impacts on a resident's ability to care for themselves and on their dependency on staff. By creating simple design features that help them complete basic tasks such as dressing, eating, or finding their way around their environment their quality of life could be greatly improved. The staff workload reduced, thereby allowing time for more meaningful engagement between carers and residents.

Care Homes should strive to create an environment that promotes independence and improves the lives of those living within the establishment.

Managers and owners of Care Homes only have to make small improvements, which can result in  a positive effect for residents with dementia and the staff support for them.

The use of colour is important, as is strategically placed signage. The use of visual clues that are commonly recognized will help the residents to find their way round.

The person centered approach on bedroom doors is key to a person recognizing the door to their bedroom. Giving people visual clues to identify rooms and areas in a care environment are vital.

Look out for dementia warning signs, families urged

By Jane Hughes Health correspondent, BBC News

820,000 people in the UK have dementia

Families are being urged to look out for the warning signs of dementia when they visit their elderly relatives.

It is part of a government advertising campaign in England aimed at encouraging early diagnosis.

Experts believe the festive period is a time when many people realise family members may have a memory problem.

They are now being warned to act on it and seek help by the Department of Health, which is launching a TV and national press campaign on the issue.

The government advert tells the story of a man in the early stages of dementia, and his daughter, who feels she is losing her father.

It highlights the importance of contacting a GP if you have symptoms like memory loss, confusion and anxiety.

"People are afraid of dementia," said care services minister Paul Burstow.

Alzheimer's sufferer Derek Wilson: ''I knew that there was something wrong with me''

"Rather than face the possibility someone we love has the condition, we can wrongly put memory problems down to 'senior moments'," he said.

"Don't wait until a crisis. Being diagnosed with dementia won't make the condition worse, but leaving it untreated will."

Christmas alert

A lot of relatives first notice problems when they visit family members over Christmas, prompting a big increase in calls to the Alzheimer's Society's helpline. This January it had a 43% rise.

Chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: "It's when you see someone you perhaps haven't seen for a while that you can see the difference."

"If their memory is going, if they're getting confused, if they have sudden mood changes, that's the time to say 'maybe you should see your doctor'."

More than 800,000 people in the UK have dementia - and many are never diagnosed. There is no cure, but with the right treatment, the symptoms can be slowed down.

Dementia signs

• Struggling to remember recent events
• Problems following conversations
• Forgetting the names of friends or objects
• Repeating yourself
• Problems with thinking or reasoning
• Confusion in familiar places

"Getting a timely diagnosis is vital," said Professor Alistair Burns, the national clinical director for dementia.

"Knowing about their condition helps people gain control, and allows them and their families to seek the support and services they need."

But GPs say those services are not always available to their patients, and that growing financial pressures in the NHS could mean cuts to the level of support they can offer.

Dr Clare Gerada, of the Royal College of GPs, said: "GPs need to have access to a wide range of resources, such as memory clinics, so they can support people beyond diagnosis, and help them live healthy independent and productive lives for as long as possible."

"We have to make sure we're not simply extending the time someone lives with a dementia diagnosis, without giving them the support they need," she added.

But in aging, as in many things, attitude can make all the difference. Research has shown that how people feel inside, and their expectations of their capabilities, can have a greater impact on health, happiness and even longevity than the date on their birth certificates.

In her seminal "counterclockwise" study, in 1979, Harvard University psychologist Ellen Langer brought men in their 70s and 80s to a weeklong retreat that was retrofitted, from the music to the newspapers, to look and feel like 1959. One group of men was told to reminisce about the era. The other group was told to let themselves be who they were 20 years earlier.

By the end of experiment, both groups of men, who upon entering had been highly reliant on relatives to do things for them, were functioning independently, actively completing chores, and showed significant improvements in hearing, memory, strength and intelligence tests. The group told to behave like they were 20 years younger also showed better dexterity, flexibility and looked younger, according to outside observers who judged photos of the participants taken before and after the retreat.

Expectation, not biology, leads many elderly people to set physical limits on themselves, Langer concluded; they assume they'll fall apart, so they let it happen.

"What we want to do is not get older people to think of themselves as young, but to change their mindsets about what it means to be older," Langer said. And being older doesn't have to equal decay.

Take memory. Thirty-year-olds forget lots of things, but they don't blame dementia. Older people jump to the conclusion that memory failures are part of their inevitable decline, when in fact it could be that their values change about what's meaningful enough to remember, Langer said.

Rather than declare failure when they aren't as nimble on the tennis court or as spry on the stairs as they used to be, older people should recognize that anything is still possible; they just may have to try a few different strategies, Langer says.

Internalizing negative stereotypes about aging can have dire health consequences, even among the young, some studies suggest.

Men and women over 50 with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.6 years longer than those with negative perceptions, according to a 2002 study led by Yale University epidemiology and Psychology Professor Becca Levy. Young, healthy people under 50 who held negative attitudes toward the elderly were more likely to experience a cardiovascular disorder over the next four decades than their peers who had more positive view of the elderly, a 2006 study by Levy found.

Source: Seniors World Chronicle