• A year of Progress and Achievement – SDWG report 2008/9 (pdf, 12 pages).

The SDWG have been busier than ever through 2008 – 2009. From meeting the First Minister to work in schools the SDWG have been raising awareness about dementia and campaigning for the rights of people with dementia across Scotland, Europe and the world.  Read about our activities in our report, including:

• 3rd UK Dementia Congress
• Visit to Chinese Healthy Living Centre
• Parliamentary Visit
• Work with the Care Commission
• Facing Dementia
• Work in Schools
• Meeting with the Mental Welfare Commission
• Palliative Care Training
• Talks
• Alzheimer’s Disease International
• Conference in Singapore
• Meeting Alex Salmond
• Training DVD
• Alzheimer Europe Conference
• Meeting with the BMA
• Glasgow Caledonian University Social Work Department
• South Lanarkshire Sheltered Housing Conference
• Dementia Awareness Week Conferences
• Broadcast on German Public Radio
• Dementia Strategy
• Mental Health Collaborative
• Dementia UK Award for James McKillop

At our Scottish Dementia Working Group AGM we elect a new committee for the coming year, review the successes of last year and present our Annual Report.

Agenda – AGM 2009 (Microsoft Word document – 49kb)

Guest speakers

Penny Redwood, who until recently worked with the RNIB in England, will talk about the visual difficulties associated with dementia and Mary McPherson, an aromatherapist from Perth, will talk about the benefits that complementary therapies may bring to both people with a diagnosis of dementia and to carers.

People with dementia welcome

All our members and supporters have been sent an invitation. If you’re not a member and have dementia, you are welcome to turn up on the day, but please contact us so we can arrange lunch etc.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Perth on 19 November.

The Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Alzheimer’s disease has launched a charter of ‘dementia rights’.

The Charter is needed for a number of important reasons, including:

• the nature of the illness means that people with dementia have great difficulty in protecting their own rights;
• there is still much stigma and discrimination against people with the illness;
• people with dementia don’t have equal access to high quality dementia care services;
• support for those who care for people with dementia is often overlooked, so that their health suffers with the stress of caring.

We hope that the Charter will empower people with dementia, those who care for them and the professionals who work to help them. You can read the Charter and register your support at www.dementiarights.org.

You are invited to help us shape a Charter of Rights for People with Dementia and their Carers in Scotland and develop our mid-term election Dementia Manifesto .

You can do this by coming to a ‘roadshow’ event or completing a questionnaire.

Visit Words into Action on Dementia for more information or to book a place at roadshows.

At the roadshows you will have the chance to:

• share your experiences in small groups
• hear about the rights of people with dementia and their carers in relation to health, social care, work, legal and other matters
• hear about Alzheimer Scotland’s campaign to promote these rights.

An information stand will be available with staff on hand to answer queries.

The consultation runs between 20 May and 30 June 2009. The Charter and Manifesto will be launched on World Alzheimer’s Day, 21 September 2009.

Words into Action on Dementia roadshows (free) events

• Irvine, 5 June

  Vineburgh Community Centre, Quarry Road, Irvine   map

• Glasgow, 9 June
    

  Renfield Centre (Blytheswood Hall), 260 Bath Street, Glasgow (near Kings Theatre)   map

• Edinburgh, 19 June

  Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh   map

• Dundee, 24 June

  The Link, Central Baptist Church, 4 Ward Road, Dundee (near main post office)   map

• Inverness, 25 June

  Eden Court Theatre (Maclean Room), Bishops Road, Inverness   map

Visit Words into Action on Dementia for more information or to book a place at roadshows.

Alzheimer Scotland has produced a draft Charter of Rights for consultation. We need people with dementia, their families and friends to be at the heart of developing the Charter of Rights. Your views and experiences are vital.

We also invite the views of health, social care, professionals, lawyers, and others who have experience of dementia.

Help turn words into action, read the draft charter and give your opinion at: www.dementiarights.org

Agnes Houston, Pat McGonigal, James McKillop and Edward McLaughlin, along with National Co-ordinator Martin Sewell and Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland Henry Simmons were filmed with the First Minister as part of a montage to be shown on Comic Relief this Friday night.

The SDWG is jointly funded by Comic Relief and Alzheimer Scotland. In 2008, Comic Relief awarded the group £60,000 per annum for three years.

Alzheimer Scotland are encouraging artistic and creative people with dementia to exhibit their work at Alzheimer Scotland’s National Office in Edinburgh this June. So if you paint, draw, embroider, photograph, sculpt, model or are creative in any other way please consider putting your new or recent pieces forward for display. Pieces are being selected from now.

Contact Jan Killeen, Public Policy Director at Alzheimer Scotland

E-mail jkilleen@alzscot.org

Tel 0131 243 1453

Address:22 Drumsheugh Gardens Edinburgh, EH3 7RN

Please note that Jan is on holiday during February so will not be able to respond until March. Don’t let this stop you sending her your details though.

Members and supporters from across Scotland travelled to Perth last Thursday for SDWG’s 5th AGM. James McKillop chaired an interesting and varied meeting with 1 speaker, 2 launch presentations, a constitutional amendment, election of increased Committee and the raffle.

Launch of ‘Talking about Dementia’ at SDWG AGM

We were also joined by Chris Wilkins to promote the Caring Memories Life Book and Alzheimer Scotland’s Information Manager Maureen Thom with a range of information for members to take away.

Business and presentations from the AGM:

• Change to Constitution and election of Committee 2008-9
  There would now be 18 Committee members instead of 15 and 4 co-opted members instead of 3. This was good news as it meant that the 18 people who wanted to be Committee Members were automatically elected.
• James McKillop stands down as Chair and Committee Member
  James was the driving voice behind the idea of a group for people with the diagnosis to put their point of view across…
• What you need to know about the GP contract in relation to dementia care
  A presentation from Dr Ken O’Neill GP…
• Talking about dementia – a resource for deaf people
  Launch of a much needed new resource for Deaf people who are affected by dementia…
• Preview of www.sdwg.org.uk
  Please have a look around our new website, and get back to us with any comments or suggestions…
• Caring Memories
  Caring Memories is a life story book you can create by downloading software from the Caring Memories company…

After 5 years of chairing the Scottish Dementia Working Group James announced at the AGM that for health reasons he would not stand for re-election to the Committee. James was the driving voice behind the idea that there should be a group for people with the diagnosis to put their point of view across.

Inspiration

He worked hard to set the group up in the days before funding was available and has been an inspiration to those who have followed. James will still be an active member of the Group but will be very much missed in his leadership role.

Honoured for work and achievement

James was honoured again for his continued work and achievement at the Alzheimer Scotland AGM earlier in November. James has now been campaigning and championing the voice of people with dementia for over 9 years. James has spoken at many conferences, trained many students, given many interviews, written articles and been published.

Accomplished photographer

He is also an accomplished photographer with a published book of photos to his name. Many a Scottish Minister has a framed McKillop photo on their wall. The staff will also miss James’ input at leadership level – he has always given us a calm measured and steady steer, been a huge support and great fun to work with.

We wish James well and better health and are sure he will still keep us on our toes as an active SDWG member!

Committee members elected at the Scottish Dementia Working Group 5th AGM:

• Clark Alexander
• Sadie Bowie
• Ross Campbell
• Beatrice Darnell
• William Dawson
• Alex Gerrard
• Allan Gallagher
• Eric Hogg
• Lynda Hogg
• Agnes Houston
• Ian Jamieson
• Nancy McAdam
• Margaret McCabe
• Pat McGonnigal
• Edward McLaughlin
• Roger Paxton
• Ronald Strachan
• Sandra Sutherland