Dementia is now officially the leading cause of death in the UK, and in Sheffield, an estimated 6.7%-7.7% of people aged 65 years and over are living with dementia.
St Luke’s see the impact of this every day. A staggering 54% of all the referrals that come to St Luke’s from care homes, have a diagnosis of dementia.
With these figures very much in mind, St Luke’s are now extending their support for people living with the condition, as well as their carers, families and healthcare professionals.
St Luke’s are proud to announce a new programme of workshops in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society Sheffield, designed to meet the needs of those caring for someone with dementia.
This initiative forms part of St Luke’s ongoing commitment to the Sheffield Dementia Strategy 2025-2030, and the promise towards ensuring that more people with dementia have access to personalised, good quality palliative and end of life care when they need it.
Running from Monday 17 November to Monday 22 December at St Luke’s Ecclesall Road South site, this six-session programme will equip carers with the knowledge, skills, and emotional resilience needed to provide compassionate dementia care.
The sessions cover a range of topics including: understanding dementia, legal and financial advice, coping day-to-day, and how to plan for the later stages of dementia and end of life. The final session, delivered by St Luke’s Project ECHO Lead Nurse, Lynne Ghasemi, focusses on end of life care planning. Participants will also have the opportunity to connect with other carers and gain valuable peer support.
Alongside the carers workshops, St Luke’s Project ECHO team are delivering an end-of-life education and training programme for health and social care staff across Sheffield. These sessions aim to equip healthcare professionals with the skills needed to feel confident and knowledgeable in caring for people living with dementia towards the end of their lives.
Topics include advice on supporting nutrition and hydration, recognising stress and deterioration, supporting families and carers in bereavement and advance care planning.
Lynne Ghasemi, St Luke’s Project ECHO Lead Nurse, who is also part of the Sheffield Dementia Strategy Group, explains why this work is so important.
“Dementia is now sadly classed as a life limiting illness. At St Luke’s and across the city, we are committed to ensuring that people living with dementia get the same level of support as those living with other life limiting illnesses,” she said.
“We are extremely passionate about making sure that those caring for people with dementia towards the end of their lives feel confident and knowledgeable to support them to live life to their full potential.”
For more information about our dementia support, please click here.