Alzheimer Scotland have been working to respond to the main concerns expressed by callers to their 24 hour Freephone Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000) and now have a suite of resources on their website’s Coronavirus Information Hub (www.alzscot.org/information-during-coronavirus<http://www.alzscot.org/information-during-coronavirus>). A specific section provides information and resources for all those supporting people living with dementia in Scotland’s care homes.

 

A podcast developed by Helen Skinner, Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Nurse Consultant, (NHS Fife) and Yvonne Manson, Quality Care and Support Manager (Abbotsford Care) shares experiences and good practice in supporting the wellbeing of residents at this difficult time.

 

Family visiting to care homes is slowly being reintroduced beyond ‘essential visits’ at the end of life or to ease significant personal distress, in accordance Scottish Government Guidelines (first issued 25 June 2020). Helen and Yvonne have developed a further podcast to share experiences of the first phase of this reintroduction.

 

Both podcasts are accompanied by sample resources developed to facilitate best practice and have been also been produced as topic specific shorts for selective viewing. Future podcasts will follow the journey for staff and residents as progress is made into stage 3 and 4 of the Government’s ‘staged approach to visiting and communal activity in care homes’.

 

Links –

Covid-19: Supporting residents’ wellbeing in the care home setting https://vimeo.com/434410511 Shorts from this video:

 

  1.  Wearing Face Masks https://vimeo.com/434386043

  2.  Hand washing and infection control https://vimeo.com/434386477

  3.  Signs of coronavirus in older people https://vimeo.com/434388060

  4.  Keeping it normal and staying in touch https://vimeo.com/434388342

  5.  Social distancing and self-isolation https://vimeo.com/434389023

  6.  Supporting families and friends https://vimeo.com/434389469

  7.  Supporting staff and professional development https://vimeo.com/434390589

  8.  Testing for Covid-19 https://vimeo.com/434394940

  9.  Working in partnership https://vimeo.com/434395479

  10. Looking back – and finding support https://vimeo.com/434395695

 

Covid-19: Supporting phased family visiting in the care home setting https://vimeo.com/437143845 Shorts from this video:

 

  1.  First steps https://vimeo.com/438553397

  2.  Making it work for everyone https://vimeo.com/438556106

  3.  It’s still a difficult time https://vimeo.com/438556610

  4.  Together again https://vimeo.com/438557948

  5.  Keeping everyone safe https://vimeo.com/438559051

  6.  Friends reunited https://vimeo.com/438559515