South West Sheffield Community Dementia Provision

1. Introduction

Background and Rationale

In Sheffield there are an estimated 7,000 people of all ages living with dementia, of which approximately 4,000 have a formal diagnosis. The Sheffield Joint Strategic Needs Assessment’s chapter on Dementia shows that the number of people aged over 65 with dementia is set to rise to over 10,000 within 15 years if current rates continue.

National Context

Two recent national publications have been highly influential in shaping our plans:
• The Lancet Commission on Dementia
• The Prime Minister’s Challenge 2020

Both describe dementia as a national (and international) challenge for health and social care services, and society as a whole, but also make clear that changing the lives of people with dementia ‘is not just about funding from government, or research by scientists, but understanding and compassion from all of us’.

The co-produced National Dementia Statements have also been valuable in shaping our plans.

Local Context: Sheffield Dementia Strategy

This tender fits with Sheffield’s citywide Dementia Strategy and Commitments, which are currently in draft form . The Strategy has been co-produced by statutory and voluntary agencies and by representatives of the dementia community including individuals and their families.

• Commitment 4: For people with dementia, support in Sheffield will be more personalised, local and accessible to help people to remain independent for as long as possible.
• Commitment 5: We will provide high quality support to families and carers of people with dementia in Sheffield to help people with dementia maintain their independence for as long as possible

Local Context: views of people living with dementia and their families

In 2012 and 2015 the Council consulted widely with people with dementia and their families and carers. The views were consistent with the National Dementia Statements.

People told us:
• it is important that people live in dementia friendly communities, where their needs are understood by other citizens and organisations
• they need access to good quality information, advice and guidance.

In 2018, SHINDIG (Sheffield Dementia Involvement Group) told us:
• People with dementia want to be able to continue to pursue existing hobbies, interests and activities or be helped to adapt to new ones. Some of these may be dementia specific and some may be in non-dementia specific settings but these may require dementia awareness-raising
• Activities and social events need to be viewed as essential therapeutic services
• Peer support is hugely valued and can help people appreciate they are not alone and to come to terms with their diagnosis
• People with dementia need to be understood within the context of their families, friends and communities in order for all the necessary people to receive the appropriate support.

Local Context: Sheffield City Council Dementia Commissioning

Based on all of the available consultation and research, Sheffield City Council’s Commissioning Principles are therefore designed as follows:

• to support people with dementia and their families to:
o develop and build resilience
o access suitable relevant and timely information and advice
o access good quality community support
o remain independent, safe and well for as long as possible
• to develop ‘dementia friendly communities’ in Sheffield, in which people with dementia are empowered to have high aspirations and feel confident, knowing they can contribute and participate in activities that are meaningful to them.