Life Care stands ‘side by side’

Imagine if you, or your partner, aged less than 65 years, lost a job or drivers licence due to younger-onset dementia. What if it was you?

This was the question proposed by South Australian aged and community care provider, Life Care’s, Jacinta Robertson, who spoke at ACSA National Community Care Conference last Tuesday (22 May 2012) and shared the success of Life Care’s Side by Side project.

Describing it as a “different approach to service delivery”, Ms Robertson says Side by Side enables people diagnosed with younger-onset dementia to re-engage with the community by working, one day a week, at a Bunnings Warehouse.

Pictured are just some of the Side by Side members living with younger-onset dementia.

“Bunnings is not usually the place you’d go to make connection with health professionals or to find out medical information; but we think that’s one of the beauties of it because it’s a non-threatening, safe environment,” Ms Robertson says.

According to Ms Robertson, the concept of the project is to “re-engage people with the community because they’ve lost so many things”.

“They feel like they need to, and certainly deserve to, still be connected with the community and have a purpose and want their identity to be valued,” she adds.

The Life Care client is partnered with a ‘work buddy’ who will help the person diagnosed with younger-onset dementia to determine what their role for the day will be.

“Our clients have shown us they can do everything any other Bunnings store person can do. They build equipment, restock selves and even complete plumbing jobs,” Ms Robertson says.

She admits Life Care is not the first to implement this model of care, but creating this environment where clients can “re-connect” and carers can enjoy “guilt-free respite”, is important.

“Carers have seen changes at home with their loved ones. They see a more positive and interactive environment. They’re learning new skills and challenging themselves.”

According to Ms Robertson, health professionals need to be “role models, as well as advocates” and find ways to educate peers and the community about younger-onset dementia.

“We want other providers to join us in bending the rules in the most healthy way and think outside the square.

“Hopefully management will continue to allow us to look at things differently so we can work in an environment where innovation is encouraged and rewarded.

“We all love to feel as though we are valued. And these guys are no different; and why should they be?”

Do you know an aged care facility which has implemented a similar project? Share your thoughts by commenting in the box below.