ReConnect

Dementia is often regarded as an ‘umbrella term’ used to describe a syndrome or collection of symptoms where there is an ongoing and usually irreversible decline of brain function and its abilities. There are over 100 different types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common. Depending on where the brain’s damage is will influence how a person is affected on a dayto-day basis. However, dementia is commonly associated with a decline in memory and other cognitive skills.

The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that there are currently 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. This is predicted to rise to over 1 million by 2025 and to over 2,000,000 by 2051. An estimated 311,730 of those living with dementia in the UK are living in care homes.

The Avery Healthcare ReConnect Programme is a comprehensive programme designed to ensure that staff can support residents with dementia and their families in the very best way possible. ReConnect reflects the very best evidence-based guidance available, drawing on the work of leaders in the field of dementia care, including the late Professor Tom Kitwood, universally regarded as one of the pioneers of contemporary person-centred dementia care. The ReConnect strategy involves several key elements which come together to provide the foundation on which excellent person-centred dementia care is built.

“At Avery, we aim to continuously meet and exceed the expectations of our residents, their families, visiting professionals and our regulators and in order to do this we must have a clear and consistent approach to delivering modern dementia care services. We recognise that a person living with dementia can become quickly disconnected from everything that was once familiar without skilled and individualised care. We have therefore named our comprehensive dementia strategy ‘ReConnect’.”

Jo Crossland, Head of Dementia Care, Avery Healthcare

The ReConnect Care Model

Building Relationships

Relationships are a key factor in the delivery of highquality, person-centred dementia care. ReConnect focuses on all staff being able to develop trusting and supportive relationships with residents and their families and members of the wider dementia care team. Life Story Work is used in all Avery memory care settings to help others understand more about a person and is a central part of the way we build relationships. Supporting Families

Family members are a vital part of ensuring residents can receive the most person-centred care possible as relationships between residents and their loved ones remain crucial. ReConnect also ensures that families and friends receive clear information and compassionate support when and how they need it and as often as required.

Skilled Staff Teams

ReConnect ensures that all staff working at Avery Healthcare homes have the right level of dementia knowledge and training that they need to best support our residents and their families. The bespoke ReConnect training pathway offers a range of learning approaches for staff teams from basic in-house dementia awareness to University-based advanced dementia leadership learning for senior staff.

Evidence-based Care

ReConnect reflects the most contemporary and robust dementia research and best practice guidance available to ensure that residents are supported to live well and maintain the highest quality of life possible.

Measuring Outcomes A tailored audit system has been developed, which complements Avery’s existing quality assurance systems. This enables the team to continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of ReConnect and the quality of care being experienced by residents.