More elderly and dementia patients to get treatment at home

More elderly and dementia patients will get personalised care in their own homes from now on.

Health chiefs have backed the roll-out of a new model of care that will shift delivery of services away from hospitals.

A review was launched in 2016 as part of the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Transformation Programme.

As part of this, older people in the south of the county have been receiving mental health services directly in their own homes and in their neighbourhoods, including dementia services and support.

It has led to “significant improvements” and has now been adopted by the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership Integration Joint Board.

The biggest change to the way in which the older people’s community mental health team will deliver dementia services involves moving away from taking patients into hospital, which offered a limited service to very few individuals living with the condition. The team says it is now able to deliver a better service for many more people and their carers in their own homes.

It follows a similar shift in care for older people living with mental health needs in Strathmore and north-west Perthshire.

Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership chief officer Robert Packham said, “We are grateful to the communities of south Perthshire for taking part in the review and helping us improve the health and care services we provide.

“This way of delivering care services has been very successful for people living with dementia, their family and carers in other parts of Perth and Kinross.

“The service will offer a range of improvements already in place across Strathmore and north-west Perthshire.

“People can expect to experience more integrated, person-centred advice, support and care, where the right person with the right skills provides the right care at the right time”