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On 9th December last, a technology charter for people living with dementia in Scotland was launched at the Digital Health & Care conference in Glasgow.
Funded by the Scottish Technology Enabled Care fund, this charter was a collaboration between and was written in collaboration with Alzheimer Scotland, NHS Scotland (NHS24), Scottish Government, Scottish Fire and Rescue, amongst others.
A copy of the charter can downloaded from here.
Let's use two numbers to put some context
More importantly, for every one person diagnosed , there are 3 to 4 people (carers) living with the disease.
Funded by the Scottish Technology Enabled Care fund, this charter was a collaboration between and was written in collaboration with Alzheimer Scotland, NHS Scotland (NHS24), Scottish Government, Scottish Fire and Rescue, amongst others.
A copy of the charter can downloaded from here.
Let's use two numbers to put some context
- In 2015, there are over 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland
- Approximately 3,200 people are aged under 65
- Living with dementia, a person is 3 to 8 time more likely to fall
More importantly, for every one person diagnosed , there are 3 to 4 people (carers) living with the disease.
Challanges, Values & Principles
Alzheimer Scotland have described the charter as a 'call to action'. Sally Magnusson, from BBC Scotland, emphasised its importance in empowering the lives of people living with dementia.
The Scottish charter is focused on values and principles and is shorter than the equivalent policy in England, produced by the Alzheimer's Society in England (see video below).
The charter recognises that there are challenges in getting technology to play a constructive role;
Through a series of values and principles, the hopes for this charter include;
Both charters from England and Scotland provide a constructive roadmap to empower and enrich the lives of people living with dementia and their carers - please support them.
The Scottish charter is focused on values and principles and is shorter than the equivalent policy in England, produced by the Alzheimer's Society in England (see video below).
The charter recognises that there are challenges in getting technology to play a constructive role;
- Ensuring equity of access to information
- Having the right policies and processes to encourage greater appropriate use of technology
- The importance of care professionals to embrace working with more informed people living with dementia
- Embracing both low and high tech solutions that provide practical benefits
- The importance of ensuring skills frameworks promote technology awareness
- Balancing ethics and consent in a positive sense when adopting technology
Through a series of values and principles, the hopes for this charter include;
- This charter is all about empowerment and enablement to people living with dementia and their carers
- Breathe life - lets all support this charter - so a call goes out to all relevant organisations and groups
- Technology should be considered at "all key points in the dementia journey.
Both charters from England and Scotland provide a constructive roadmap to empower and enrich the lives of people living with dementia and their carers - please support them.