Erskine expert at dementia summit

Veterans’ charity Erskine is visiting the 28th Alzheimer Europe Conference in Barcelona this week.

The charity’s expert dementia nurse consultant Janice McAlister will be the sole care home representative presenting on the subject of dementia.

Making dementia a European priority is a subject close to the heart of Erskine, home to more than 300 exservicemen and women and their spouses.

Within Erskine’s four care homes, more than 50 per cent of the veterans cared for are living with a cognitive impairment or diagnosis of dementia.

Janice will use posters to talk at the event about the ‘Impact of Dementia Nurse Consultant Role within Care Home Environments’ and ‘ Improving Staff Skills and Knowledge within a Care Home Setting’.

At Erskine, a dementia nurse consultant devotes time and expertise to staff and volunteers in a bid to increase their knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence to care for those living with dementia.

This in- depth training prepares staff to recognise signs of distress earlier and to identify more accurately the best way forward for each individual resident.

Erskine’s Director of Care Derek Barron said: “I am delighted that our dementia nurse consultant is presenting two posters at the conference related to her work and our commitment to training staff in providing high quality care for people living with dementia.

“As the only care home presenting posters at the conference we are pleased to be showcasing the work that we here at Erskine are undertaking and to be a Scottish Care Home presenting on this international stage.”

Erskine was founded in 1916 to care for service men and women who had been injured in active service.

Today, care remains the cornerstone of its philosophy.