Touchstone’s Kirklees services are now part of the Kirklees Dementia Action Alliance. This means that we are making definite commitments as to how to make our services more appropriate and accessible for people living with dementia.
Our action plan is published on the Dementia Action website. Current actions (August 2015) are:
Improve our understanding of Dementia
We will ensure all of our staff have received appropriate Dementia Awareness training. We will identify a ‘Dementia Champion’ within our team who will join the Touchstone org-wide Dementia Champions group to ensure Dementia Friendly principles are embedded across the organisation. They will also be trained to provide awareness sessions for staff, volunteers and other partners.
Build dementia awareness into every aspect of service delivery
Encourage the growth of peer support. Enable volunteers, service users and carers with lived experience of dementia to play a key role in service design and delivery. Develop ‘non-instructed advocacy skills’ amongst the team to ensure good service delivery is accessible to all.
Build effective networks to create a ‘Kinder Kirklees’
Utilise existing contacts and develop new networks across services and professionals throughout Kirklees to embed dementia friendly working into all areas. Use the advocacy and brokerage services to share good practice and raise awareness. Learn from others within Touchstone’s existing dementia-specific services and also from our partners across Kirklees.
