New Support for People with Dementia: Age Exchange receives Big Lottery award of £468,000 For “Reminiscence Arts in Day Care”

Age Exchange is delighted to announce that it has been awarded £468,000 by The Big Lottery Fund as part of the Reaching Communities Programme.

The award over 3 years will enable Age Exchange to provide support for older people with dementia through its innovative Reminiscence Arts intervention. Age Exchange will create and deliver two new day care services in the community, as well as a programme of 1:1 home support. The new services will support people with dementia and their family carer in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Southwark.

Age Exchange’s evidence based model of Reminiscence Arts (RADIQL), first tested and evaluated in residential care in Southwark and Lambeth between 2012 and 2015, had a measurable impact on the wellbeing and behaviour of residents with a diagnosis of dementia who participated in the programme. Independent evaluation of the RADIQL programme found that the well-being of residents with dementia who participated, increased by 42%, and positive behaviour by 25% during the course of the programme.

RADIQL in residential care was initially funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, and evaluated by Royal Holloway University of London, and Simetrica. To view the final published evaluation reports CLICK HERE

The Big Lottery Fund is supporting Age Exchange’s desire to extend its expertise from residential care into preventative care, working to maintain the health and well-being of people with dementia and their carers living in the community, enabling them to live independently for longer.

The new services will commence in early autumn with Age Exchange running weekly day care from two sites in Lewisham and Greenwich, supported by the programme of 1:1 support for people in need of the intervention at home. This major award will enable Age Exchange and its partners to bring the benefits of the Reminiscence Arts model of care to many people struggling to cope alone.

“We are grateful to The Big Lottery and its wonderful staff team who have worked with Age Exchange throughout the application process. We welcome this opportunity to further develop the innovative practice of Reminiscence Arts in Dementia Care to improve measurably care and well-being for people with dementia and their family carer living in the community”.

David Savill, Artistic Director at Age Exchange

Contact details
For further information contact David Savill on 020 8318 9105 or david.savill@age-exchange.org.uk .

Thank you

 

BLF