As part of ‘Your Voice’, our campaign designed to give voice to those living with dementia and their relatives, we asked for you to share your ideas for spending quality time with family members. You can read our favourite suggestions at our ‘Your Voice’ pages here.

As part of our ‘Your Voice’ campaign, we asked for your tips and ideas on how to spend quality time with your loved ones. We have compiled some of our favourite suggestions below:

1. Remember what the person enjoyed doing before dementia and adapt it to their current situation; you could try watching an old film or baking a cake together

2. Focus the time around an activity. It may be difficult for your family member to hold a conversation, so if you have something to talk around, this can be less stressful for both of you

3. A walk in the park on a sunny day is free, and time spent out in the fresh air can be beneficial. On rainier days, a trip to the local garden centre is a good way of getting out of the house

4. Head along to a Singing for the Brain session- you can find out more about them here (or watch our video about Sheila’s experience here)

5. Try and keep activities simple, this will help prevent someone becoming frustrated. For example, try reading magazines or newspapers instead of books

6. Make a memory book together; looking over old family photos will initiate all sorts of discussions

7. If going out to eat becomes difficult, try a picnic style meal instead

If you have any further tips you would like to see added to this list, please email us at yourvoice@justchecking.co.uk

Karen Hagenow, Occupational Therapist, at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, London 2013

A study led by Dr Rohit Shankar, Neuro-Psychiatrist, Cornwall Foundation Trust, Peninsula Medical & Dental School, has found that the use of activity monitoring in epilepsy assessment can help to clarify and understand seizure patterns, identify staff training needs, and ensure that the least intrusive care is provided.

The aim of the study was to see if monitoring a person with epilepsy’s sleep pattern over a period of time would increase understanding of potential nocturnal seizures, and therefore their care requirements.  Led by Dr Shankhar, the team used ‘Just Checking’, a web-based activity monitoring system, to assess the sleep patterns of five individuals with moderate to severe learning disabilities.

Karen Hagenow, the Occupational Therapist who worked on this study, explained the use of ‘Just Checking’ meant they were able to assess sleep patterns more objectively than traditional observations “Unobtrusively assessing someone’s night time activity over an extended period of time is useful when assessing their needs and capabilities.  Activity monitoring ensures routines really are understood and care really is person-centred. ”

The information provided by the charts also ensures that care can be provided by the least intrusive means. Caryn Jory, Epilepsy Specialist Nurse said “This is an innovative use of technology to gain a more comprehensive understanding of sleep patterns, which helps inform epilepsy management.”

Results have been presented as a poster presentation at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare London 2013, the South West Epilepsy in Learning Disabilities Conference, and the study has been long listed for the NHS High Impact Innovations Programme, which promotes the rapid adoption of the best, transformative, most innovative products, services and clinical practice.

Tracey Swift and Stephen Wales

Just Checking is pleased to welcome Regional Commissioning Manager Tracey Swift to our team. Her appointment follows that of National Commissioning Manager Stephen Wales.

The new position will see Tracey work closely with Stephen and the rest of the team to develop the adoption and implementation of Just Checking throughout the UK.

Tracey said: “I’m looking forward to working with both local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to ensure they get the best from Just Checking. This powerful assessment tool can result in signficant cost savings and cost avoidance whilst concurrently providing objective and robust care pathways.

By working closely with commissioners to identify the areas where Just Checking can be targeted to greatest effect, I look forward to seeing improved, positive and sustainable outcomes.”

Tracey’s previous roles include Product Specialist at DynaVox, a leading provider of speech-generating devices. Stephen said: “The knowledge and enthusiasm that Tracey brings to the team is tremendous. Her previous experience makes her a fantastic asset to both ourselves and those we work with.”

The ‘3millionlives’ initiative is about transforming service delivery for people with long term conditions or social care needs, by utilising telehealth and telecare within health and social care.  The Department of Health believes that at least three million people with long term conditions or social care needs could benefit from the use of telehealth and telecare services.

Care professionals use Just Checking for assessment and care planning.  People with early dementia usually continue to hold a good daily pattern in the familiarity of their own home, so it is about understanding when and where to target care to best effect.  80% of councils are using Just Checking for assessment.

But the potential impact on families is greater.  Families use Just Checking to keep a gentle eye on their relative, and manage things on a daily basis, sharing arrangements with other family members, friends and paid-for care services,  and being able to see the impact of the ‘caring network’ around the person.  Specific risks can be managed with a combination of services and telecare, and more emphasis put on social interaction.  The result is a person can be supported in their own home where they want to be and where they function best, in many cases to the end of their days.

With 800,000 cases of dementia and a 30% rise predicted over the next 15 years, new, more sustainable ways of managing life with dementia have to develop.

Remote activity monitoring gives families a tool to self-manage the home support for a loved one.  Its’ application is wide.  With a 50% rise in the number of people over 65 years, and 100% rise in people over 85 years by 2030[i], the innovative use of remote monitoring is set to become part of the mix of social care.

Notes

3million lives is an initiative between the Department of Health and industry to encourage the take up of telehealth and telecare. The Department of Health (DH) believes that at least three million people with long term conditions and/or social care needs could benefit from the use of telehealth and telecare services. Implemented effectively as part of a whole system redesign of care, telehealth and telecare can alleviate pressure on long term NHS costs and improve people’s quality of life through better self-care in the home setting.

As part of an alliance with Argos, Homebase, and its sister charities in Scotland and Ireland, they will confront the problem, helping thousands to stay at home longer and enjoy being part of the community. The money raised will be used to fund initiatives such as Singing for the Brain therapy groups, Dementia Cafes, and Dementia Support Workers.

The tips cover a number of ways in which someone with dementia can be supported at home for longer, including contacting social services, and using assistive technologies to help keep someone safe. You can read them here.

As part of an alliance with Argos, Homebase, and its sister charities in Scotland and Ireland, they will confront the problem, helping thousands to stay at home longer and enjoy being part of the community. The money raised will be used to fund initiatives such as Singing for the Brain therapy groups, Dementia Cafes, and Dementia Support Workers.

The tips cover a number of ways in which someone with dementia can be supported at home for longer, including contacting social services, and using assistive technologies to help keep someone safe. You can read them here.

“Dementia is increasingly widespread; over 800,000 people in the UK have dementia, a figure that is expected to rise by 25% over the next decade,” explained Celia Price, director and founder of Just Checking. “Whatever its cause it ultimately robs a person of their sense of identity and has a big impact on their family and friends but a diagnosis does not mean that this will be the position overnight. With the right tools, knowledge and support it is possible for individuals to go on living independent lives, in some cases for many years. This positive outlook is rarely discussed, which is why we have launched ‘Your Voice’. We want to help people with dementia as well as their friends, family and carers speak out about their experiences and share their constructive ideas.”

As part of this campaign the company has compiled answers to the questions families most commonly ask, is broadcasting the thoughts of the friends and family of those with dementia, running a series of webinars, forums and planning competitions that will give sufferers and their friends and family a way to raise their voice.

Those who wish to follow and participate in the campaign should visit the company’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/JustChecking or email us at yourvoice@justchecking.co.uk.

Just Checking uses motion sensors and the mobile phone network to provide real time data, displayed as a chart of activity on a secure website, on the movement of a person in their home.  This means people with dementia can live independently for longer in their home. To date the Just Checking system has been used for the assessment and care of people with dementia by more than 75% of UK local authorities, as well as by NHS trusts and major care providers. 

Families can use Just Checking to structure the right care packages, be certain carers are visiting when expected and that their loved one is coping alone at home.  Users can set up the system to suit their loved one’s routine with alerts for circumstances that might need a closer look, such as a person not following their normal routine, but not for emergencies.

“Text or email alerts are a good way of drawing attention to something that might need attention but is not a time critical emergency,” explained director of Just Checking, Celia Price.  “We know that any response to an alert relies on the relative being able to pick up the text and so Just Checking does exactly that; it ‘just checks’ that all is well and let’s someone know if they need to take a closer look.  It is not an alarm system.”

The alerts include:

• Exit property: if an exterior door is used and no activity is detected in the property.
• Not up and about: if there is no sign of life by a specified time in the morning.
• Visitor late: with carers expected at certain times an alert can be sent if the front door is not opened as expected.
• Door left open: if a door is left open for longer than a specified time.  This will send an alert if the door has not been shut securely.

This new version of Just Checking, designed specifically for consumers, presents a new opportunity to telecare providers, offering a response service for relatives living in other parts of the country or who have work and other commitments.