Coronavirus (COVID-19) - dementia and COVID-19: action plan
This national action plan plan sets out how we will build on our national response to the coronavirus pandemic since March 2020 and how we will continue and expand that response in 2021 to continue to support recovery for people with dementia and their carers.
COSLA Foreword
COSLA's Health and Social Care Board endorsed this Plan at our Board Meeting in December 2020. Our Members recognise the impact on individuals and family members of the pandemic which has led to greater isolation and impacted on existing support networks. I want to thank family members and carers for everything they have done and all the support they have provided. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the staff in care homes and those providing social care in our communities for the vital work they have carried out, and which they continue to carry out during these difficult times.
The Plan is a bridging Plan and sits alongside the existing third National Dementia Strategy and we welcome the Scottish Government's commitment to continue to support training for staff and to support the third sector. We welcome the commitment to support more Dementia Champions and want to make our communities Dementia Friendly Communities with a greater awareness of how to make places and activities accessible.
During the pandemic the way a number Local Authority, Independent and third sector services work has had to change, such as moving to telephone and digital provision, some of these services may continue to provide support moving forwards but we also want to see the return of place based and face to face support services and the opportunity for people to use their community facilities.
We recognise the concerns raised by Alzheimer Scotland about uptake of the one year post diagnostic support guarantee and the Plan highlights that we are committed to working with them, Scottish Government and Integration Joint Board Chief Officers to identify any gaps and barriers to provision and consider how we overcome these.
We are committed to working in partnership to get things right for people with dementia, their families and carers.
Thank you.
Councillor Stuart Currie
Health and Social Care Spokesperson
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
Contact
Email: Dementiapolicy@gov.scot
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