WORCESTERSHIRE is leading the country by trialling a ground-breaking scheme to help people living with dementia to stay safe and be independent for as long as possible.

The initiative has been led by Worcester City Council in association with health and housing services, Care and Repair Worcestershire and Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It has taken 12 months to develop the project.

Known as the Worcestershire Dementia Dwelling Grant, it enables people diagnosed with dementia and still living in their own homes to access funds to get aids and adaptations specifically designed to help those with the illness.

More than 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia and this is set to rise to over one million people by 2021. In Worcestershire, the number of people with dementia is proportionately higher than in other areas of the country, and these numbers are projected to increase considerably over the next 15 years as people live longer.

Nina Warrington, head of Strategic Housing at Worcester City Council, unveiled details of the new grant scheme to other local authorities and housing professionals at a national Housing and Dementia Conference in London last week and said 85 per cent of people living with dementia are living in their own home.

She stressed some of the main issues for people living with dementia were maintaining a routine and familiarity with their surroundings.

She said everyone living with dementia is different and experiences different effects from the disease. Apart from memory loss, dementia can also affect eye sight, hearing and mobility but if the aids and adaptations are installed while a person is still able to get used to them, they can help prevent falls and other injuries.

Mrs Warrington said: “Dementia can disturb the way people see things and reduces hearing. There are clocks available which tell people if it is day or night as well as giving the day of the week and coloured light switches to make them easier to see.”

She said a lot of bathrooms are all white and if a person’s sight is affected by dementia it can be difficult for them to find the toilet seat and this could result in a fall.

“There are red toilet seats which contrast with the colour in the rest of the bathroom. There is also a new valve for gas cookers so that if you leave the gas on it cuts out. And you can have transparent doors on kitchen cupboards so you can see what is behind.

“If you can prevent a fall and prevent admission to hospital, people living with dementia do not deteriorate as quickly.

“People with dementia have some days which will be good and some days that are less good. Nobody is really the same. If they can be helped to stay at home safely there can be a slower decline.”

The trial, which begins in April, will enable referrals to be made for eligible people living with dementia to have grants of up to £750. The grants will not be means tested but will be based on the assessment of each individual’s needs.

Mrs Warrington added that they expect to be able to provide grants for between 100 and 200 people during the trial – depending upon their needs and the cost of the aids required.

“The aim of Worcestershire’s dwelling grant is to help reduce feelings of confusion and anxiety among residents living with dementia, and to allow them to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible,” she explained.

“If the trial is successful, our aspiration is that further funding will be made available and that the grant could then be offered to Worcestershire residents on a more permanent basis. We are the first area in the country to offer this type of grant.”

The trial grant will be open to anyone living in Worcestershire who has a clinically proven early diagnosis of dementia and is still living in their own home. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and will be paid for through the Department of Health’s Better Care Fund.

“I think it is going to be very valuable,” said Mrs Warrington, who pointed out that the timing of introducing these adaptations to the home is critical. Some people with early dementia do not want to accept help at that stage, but it is important the changes are made to their homes while they are able to get used to them and integrated into their everyday lives.

The trial will be independently evaluated by the University of Worcester’s Association for Dementia Studies (ADS). The evaluation will seek to explore the impact of the grants/aids adaptations for people with dementia and family carers and to identify any potential cost savings.

Simon Evans, head of Research at ADS said: “The Association for Dementia Studies is delighted to be evaluating this innovative trial.

“We hope that our findings will add to the understanding of how relatively small changes to the home environment can support greater independence and quality of life for people living with dementia in their own homes.”

Mrs Warrington added that other parts of the country are working on different types of scheme but she said there was a lot of interest across the country in the Worcestershire Dementia Dwelling Grant. “We are one of the first places in the country to think outside the box and offer aids not just for people with physical disabilities.”

• Referral for the dementia dwelling trial will be made by a GP, the Early Intervention Dementia Service or Community Adult Mental Health Team. The Dementia Advice Service, delivered by Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire, will support households to claim the grant, identify the products and adaptations needed, as well as providing other relevant support, advice and information.