Publisher's Synopsis
Dementia is increasingly and widely recognised as a serious health and social challenge, in the developed world as well as in the developing world. The need therefore to design and implement dementia care services of high quality is becoming more and more vital, particularly given the likelihood of ever increasing demand in a world, which likely sees resources at best remaining at current levels. Designing and Delivering Dementia Services describes current developments in the design and configuration of dementia services. It offers an informative and detailed overview of what constitutes high quality care, considering the circumstances patients and carers may find themselves in. For dementia to get the priority it deserves, a number of factors are important and the book charts the invaluable contributions of various Alzheimer's Associations and Societies: this provides a focus on dementia strategies and plans at national levels: the book reports on the state of affairs regarding such strategies and provides a unique insight into the process of how one of these was developed and implemented. Recognising the need to prove that service developments lead to a higher quality of care, increased productivity and increased efficiency, the book links the resulting picture to service-based research methodologies, with an emphasis on the strengths and limitations of that research. Contributions from 17 countries on 4 continents give an overview of the state of affairs across the world, paying attention to successful - and less successful - initiatives to improve dementia care. The book furthermore provides pragmatic approaches to ensure planning becomes reality, highlights the need for structured workforce development, education and training and describes the opportunities afforded by assistive technology. This book is of prime informative and practical value given that pressures on dementia services are projected to mount across the world against a backdrop of limited resources and expertise. Designing and Delivering Dementia Services Defines the problems involved in meeting an increasing demand for dementia care services in a poorer world Maps initiatives and developments in the design and configuration of these services in a variety of international settings Analyses these developments against the background of political and health economic circumstances Provides a road map of where health services should go in response to this growing challenge. The first book to define, analyse and map initiatives for dementia care services in a time of increasing demand and decreasing resources, this book is essential reading for commissioners, senior clinicians and service planners in health and social care. It will also be of interest to academic researchers involved in qualitative services research as well as quantitative health economic research, health and social care managers and those involved in workforce planning and development.
