Promoting Excellence: A framework for all health and social services staff working with people with dementia, their families and carers

People with dementia feel empowered and enabled to exercise rights and choice, maintain their identity and to be treated with dignity and equity.

• Appreciate that people with dementia, their families and carers are still able to have and maintain a quality of life valued by them.
• Understand that a good and valued quality of life should reflect the priorities of the person with dementia, their family and carers.
• Understand what is meant by the term person-centred support in relation to people with dementia.

• Interact with people with dementia, their families and carers, in a way that recognises their wishes and priorities.

• Understand the importance of recognising, enhancing and supporting the strengths and abilities of people with dementia.
• Understand the benefits of continued engagement in life's roles and relationships, and that people with dementia have a right to be supported to achieve this.
• Understand that people with dementia have the right and ability to develop new skills and make the most of new opportunities.

• Interact with people with dementia in a person-centred way that recognises and utilises their unique strengths and abilities.

People with dementia have access to a timely and accurate diagnosis of dementia.

• Knowledge of how to access local community information and services that can provide information and support for people with dementia and their families and carers.
• Awareness of the common signs and symptoms of dementia, e.g. memory problems, confusion and communication difficulties.
• Knowledge of a range of communication methods to suit people who are experiencing confusion, memory or communication difficulties.
• Understand that diversity, equality and inequality issues impact, the experience and support needs of people with dementia (for example people from different cultural and ethnic groups, people with learning disabilities and younger people).

• Provide relevant information or signpost to an appropriate person, or service, to enable people with dementia to access chosen community services and activities.
• Recognise when a person appears to be experiencing confusion, memory or communication difficulties.
• Communicate in a way and at a pace that takes account of difficulties associated with dementia.
• Communicates in a way that recognises individual needs and diversity and the potential impact of memory difficulties and confusion.

People with dementia maintain their best level of physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing.

• Understand the potential physical, social and environmental hazards and risks to the safety and wellbeing of people with dementia.
• Understand the effects of the symptoms of dementia can mean that people may need support, or environmental adjustment, to maintain active engagement in community life and valued activities.
• Awareness of the potential effects that the symptoms of dementia can have on a person's behaviours, relationships, and activities and how this can affect mood.
• Knowledge of how to respond to a person with dementia who is distressed.
• Understands the effects of stigma and fear of stigma associated with dementia.

• Recognise when the physical or social environment could compromise the health and safety of people who are experiencing confusion and memory problems.
• Support people who appear confused or are experiencing problems with their memory to manage situations where the environment is challenging or presents risks to them.
• Recognises when a person with dementia, their family or carers appear to be disressed, identify areas of concern, and respond appropriately.
• Engage with people with dementia in a way that recognises the negative impact of stigma and discrimination.

People with dementia feel empowered and enabled to exercise rights and choice, maintain their identity and to be treated with dignity and equity.

• Understand that people with dementia may be at risk of experiencing neglect, harm or abuse - physical, sexual, psychological and financial.
• Understand that legislation exists to protect the rights of people with dementia and safe guard them against any potential risk or harm.
• Awareness of local adult protection protocol and policy.
• Awareness of the benefits of risk enablement in giving people choice and control.

• Recognise when a person with dementia is experiencing neglect, harm or abuse.
• Take appropriate action according to organisational procedures when a person with dementia may be experiencing neglect, harm or abuse.
• Support the person with dementia to take risks that provide opportunities and benefits for them.