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The Grant to Improve Dementia Care in B.C.
In the spring of 2008, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. received a $1-million grant from the Ministry of Health to help improve quality of life for people with dementia and caregivers. In January, the Society announced funding for seven initiatives through the Grant to Improve Dementia Care in BC. Each project addresses identified gaps within the health system.
This funding provided the Society with an opportunity to partner with the five Health Authorities, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria. Including additional partnerships, donations-in-kind and other revenue sources, more than $1.4-million will be invested in improving dementia care in our province through these initiatives.
About the grant initiatives
Three of the grant initiatives focus on providing better information and resources to those who need it:
Led by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, the Dementia Journey Website (www.dementiajourney.ca) – has been expanded to include information on local programs and services across B.C.
(UPDATE: Publicity materials have been created for the Dementia Journey website including bookmarks, posters and event banners. Learn how to get involved here...)
In close collaboration, UBC is working on a multi-lingual project, which will use the most up-to-date information about dementia to create culturally-appropriate and easy-to-understand web content in Cantonese, Mandarin and Punjabi.
(UPDATE: Learn about the Punjabi “Getting to Know Dementia” forum to be held March 8th in Surrey, the website being launched with dementia information in Punjabi and the new patient education pamphlet being prepared in English, Punjabi and Chinese by clicking here...)
An E-learning initiative, lead by the Northern Health Authority, will allow care providers to access training anytime and anywhere.
(UPDATE: Successfully launched in early December the modules and other related resources will be located on a new Northern Health Dementia Web site and available via CD and DVD. Learn more...)
The other four initiatives address the needs to improve access to services for those with dementia as well as support to professional and family caregivers:
First Link®, a collaboration between the Society and the Vancouver Island Health Authority, will proactively connect people newly diagnosed with dementia to the Society for education, health service and support.
(UPDATE: These three initiatives are all seeing much success. First Link has received over 100 referrals. The caregiver program Coping with Transitions had a very successful pilot and preparation for four additional groups in Victoria, Sydney, Nanaimo and Oceanside is well underway. And a partnership was initiated with Saanich Parks and Recreation to offer Minds in Motion that launched February 3rd. Learn more...)
The Fraser Health Authority is developing the BC Dementia Education Framework, a blueprint to improve and standardize dementia education across the province.
(UPDATE: The provincial advisory team met in early February to confirm the key concepts and principles to guide the Framework as well as priorities and strategies for action in phase two. Significant gaps and priorities for dementia education have been identified - read more...)
Led by the Interior Health Authority, a project focused on sustainable caregiving will enhance the ability of health care providers to identify stress and exhaustion in caregivers, and help them guide caregivers to develop practical strategies that help manage and better-balance their lives.
(UPDATE: The evaluation of this initiative is well underway with quantitative data analysis, focus groups and cross community themes being anaylsed. Several easy to use tools for staff will soon be available. Find out more...)
On a public policy level, the Dementia Policy Lens, under development by the Centre on Aging at the University of Victoria, looks at how new legislation and practices will impact people with dementia.
(UPDATE: The Dementia Policy Lens will be available in final form at the March “Knowledge to Practice” Forum and should be up on the health professionals’ resources section of the Dementia Journey website by April. Learn more...)
The close collaboration and partnerships that have been formed are at the heart of these initiatives, and will ensure all of our efforts have a much broader impact.
