Bayview Care Workers Champion Dementia and Palliative Care in Highland

23rd March 2009

Two senior social care workers at Highland Council's Bayview House Resource Centre in Thurso have recently successfully completed a training course to develop their skills in palliative care with older people and older people with dementia.

The course which was titled 'Beyond Barriers' was a project funded by the Scottish Government, and run in partnership with the Care Commission and Alzheimer Scotland.

Sharon Hutt and Laura MacDonald attended a presentation ceremony on Monday 9 March, at Glasgow City Chambers to receive their certificates at a ceremony hosted by the Depute Lord Provost of Glasgow City Council.

The Beyond Barriers Project attempted to address quality of life issues and the eventual dying process for people with dementia in the later stages of the disease. The aim of this innovative project was to develop a palliative care approach to the care of people in the later stages of dementia living in care homes in Scotland. This was achieved by creating dementia and palliative care champions and involved fifty care homes throughout Scotland.

Councillor Margaret Davidson Chairman of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee said: "Sharon and Laura are the dementia and palliative care champions for Highland. I commend them on their achievements in completing the Beyond Barriers training. The residents and day care clients of Bayview House will benefit greatly from their improved skills."

Gordon MacLeod, Bayview House Manager said: "Congratulations to Sharon and Laura on their achievements. I am very proud of them. Their newly acquired skills will enable them to help family and friends of older people with dementia deal with this disease that their loved ones have. It will also help them to provide improved care to provide a better quality of life for the residents at Bayview."