070Alzheimer’s Café: A New Integrated Approach to an Established Way of Working

Abstract

Background: An Alzheimer's Cafe (AC) is a monthly support and education service in the form of a cafe for patients with dementia and typically set up by community volunteers. Our project was to evaluate the impact of setting up an AC using an integrated hospital-community care model. The emphasis was on creating a relaxed space where people with dementia (PwD) their families/carers could come together for socialisation, education and support under a person-centred ethos. Method(s): Three Health &Social Care Professionals from our Hospital attended training on ACs. Key stakeholders from acute, community and local government formed a steering committee. They worked to instigate change in care delivery in dementia, encompassing the ethos of the AC movement, and the targets of the National Dementia Strategy 2014, of reducing stigma, encouraging early diagnosis and providing intervention and support. Quantitative analysis in the form of a participant audit was used to inform qualitative discussions around patient-centred themes. Participants were asked questions relating to the educational topics and the impact attending the AC had on them and their families. Result(s): The first AC was held in April 2016 and continues monthly for two hours. 25 PwD, their carers and 8 volunteers on average attend per month. 20 have returned to at least 4 out of 5 AC's. 100% of the people who attended and provided feedback rated the AC as a 'very positive experience' with a 'warm, easy atmosphere'. They felt education sessions were relevant and informative and were more likely to attend as the person recommending the AC would be present. Hospital Group included the recommendation of integrated AC's for all its hospitals by 2019. Conclusion(s): Adapting the Alzheimer's model to an integrated hospital and community initiative provided excellent outcomes for patients with dementia, their carers and staff involved.