Part of their lives: Community care for older people with dementia

by Jo Moriatarty, Sarah Webb, Jo Moriatarty

Changes to community care services have resulted in new responsibilities for social services departments (SSDs) at a time when they are already under greater pressure to deliver consumer-centred and flexible community care services within increasingly tighter budgets. People with moderate and severe dementia are major users of both community and long-term care services provided by SSDs, yet little is known about what services they use, for how long, and how well these services fit in with their preferences and those of their carers. Since the implementation of the community care changes there has also been little published data about how such services have changed. Part of their lives combines a review of the existing literature with statistical analyses, case examples and the direct voices of carers and people with dementia providing information on the experiences of a group of people with dementia and their carers over an 18-month period. The report addresses the concerns of increasing numbers of people committed to improving the quality of dementia care in answering the following What do people with dementia think about the services they receive? Where do carers need support? How much does a weekly package of care cost? What determines remaining in the community and entry into long-term care? This highly accessible report is important reading for social work students, policy makers, people involved in commissioning services, service providers, carers and academics.

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2000