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University agreement shows dementia is serious business

University health academics have developed a strategic alliance with Scotland’s leading dementia charity in a bid to improve student understanding of dementia.

The move will ensure that healthcare students at Queen Margaret University have a robust education in dementia so that they are more effective as healthcare professionals when they move into the workplace. The ultimate aim is to improve the care and wellbeing of individuals with dementia and families affected by the condition across all service provision – within the NHS, private practice, social work and the voluntary sector.

Dementia is a word used to describe a group of illnesses or conditions for which there is no cure. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, mood changes and increasing difficulty with day-to-day tasks. There are many types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most common.  Currently 800,000 people in the UK have dementia and that figure is set to rise to over a million by 2021. In 2012, the financial cost of dementia to the UK was more than £23 billion. That cost is set to spiral as the number of people living with the disease, and others affected by their illness, continues to grow.

Queen Margaret University (QMU) and Alzheimer Scotland have been working together for several years, but the signing of an official agreement by the University’s Principal and the Chief Executive of the charity signals the increased level of commitment that both organisations are placing on student education. On the 1 st April, QMU’s Principal, Professor Petra Wend, will sign an official agreement with Henry Simmon s , Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland. Aside from marking the new alliance, the day-long event which is taking place at QMU’s campus in Musselburgh, will include talks and workshops from QMU academics and external dementia specialists. Students from across the university have been invited, but the day is primarily aimed at first year students from the allied health professions, including occupational therapy and physiotherapy, as well as nursing students.

An important part of the day will be the Alzheimer Scotland Memory Bus which will be located in University Square. The Memory Bus is a unique mobile information vehicle which travels across the country to raise awareness and support for those interested in, or affected by, dementia. It will be accessible to all QMU students and staff, and will also be open to members of the public on Wednesday 1 st April from 8.30am – 1pm. In addition, the students can also sign up to become Dementia Friends.

Ian McMillan, Head of Division, Occupational Therapy and Arts Therapies at Queen Margaret University, said: ““In Scotland alone about 90,000 people have dementia and that number doesn’t include the wider circle of people who are affected by a family member or friend with the condition. It is a growing problem and one that presents massive challenges for our health and social care services, as well as our economy.

“We are therefore very serious about educating our students about the wider considerations of dementia.  All allied health professionals in employment will, at some point, work with people with dementia, as well as their families and carers. By working with Alzheimer Scotland we can equip our students to better understand people’s needs and to work much more effectively in the changing landscape of health and social care in Scotland.”

Henry Simmons, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said: “Dementia is one of the biggest health issues in our society and there are few families in Scotland who are not affected by this illness. We must develop better ways of treating, supporting and caring for people with dementia, to enable them to live better in their own homes and communities. QMU should be commended for taking this bold step to embed dementia education into its teaching practice. This strategic alliance offers an innovative way of educating future health professionals about dementia. By working together, with QMU students, we can make a truly meaningful contribution to patient care both in the NHS and the independent healthcare sector.”

Amanda Stears, Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Queen Margaret University, has been organising the event in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, the Scottish Dementia working group and NHS partners. She said: “This semester we have been piloting an on-line module on  ‘Living well with Dementia’ that we developed with Elaine Hunter, National Allied Health Professional Consultant at Alzheimer Scotland and Jenny Reid an AHP Dementia Consultant from NHS Lothian, with a range of students from across the university. These students have committed to do the module in their own time, and the depth of compassion and care that these students have demonstrated has been overwhelming. Our students really will make a difference to those they will care for whatever their role and we very much hope they will be ambassadors within QMU.  We will be evaluating the students experiences over the summer with a view to taking the module forwards.”