Council’s new dementia strategy

May 27 2010 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

A NEW scheme to provide respite care for dementia sufferers being cared for at home is being considered in West Lothian.

Proposals to introduce a new flexible respite scheme for older people with dementia who live at home and are supported by an informal carer are being debated by members of West Lothian Council’s Social Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel.

In 2007 it was estimated that there was between 1423 and 1615 people with dementia living in West Lothian with this figure projected to increase by 87 per cent over the next 15 years reaching between 2656 and 3058 by 2024.

West Lothian Council has committed to providing the equivalent of 300 extra weeks respite care a year.

The Older People’s Services team reported that the flexible respite scheme for people with dementia was developed in consultation with local carers and Carers of West Lothian.

And a number of common issues were highlighted as a result of these consultations, namely the desire for more choice and flexibility.

The proposal is to structure the service on the basis of a simplified direct payment.

This could mean that once assessed as being eligible for the service, a ‘respite account’ could be opened and managed by the council.

The carer could then be free to arrange their own respite breaks knowing that payment will be deducted from their account by the council to cover the cost.

If the proposals are approved at a meeting of the Council Executive it is anticipated that around 100 carers could benefit.

Executive councillor for social policy, Isabel Hutton, said: “This is a new approach to commissioning support which enables the people using the service to take control and buy the services which best meet their needs.

“An additional benefit is that people can do this without having to directly manage the funds available themselves.”