Editor ’ s note
Editor ’ s note
Welcome to OTnews
As this issue went to press , the Alzheimer ’ s Society launched Dementia Action Week 2024 , an annual campaign that aims to bring people together from across the UK under a unified theme to take action on dementia . This year , people are being asked to call on the government to rebuild the social care system .
One in three of us born in the UK today will go on to develop dementia in our lifetime , and there will be one million people living with dementia by 2025 , making dementia care one of the greatest challenges facing our society , Alzheimer ’ s Society stresses . It is calling for a system that means every person living with dementia , and every carer , can get the support they need to stay happy , healthy and independent for as long as possible .
To celebrate this national awareness event , our cover story comes from Jemma Wiltshire and Louise Cinderby , who reflect on their award-winning work to improve the experience of people living with dementia being cared for in an acute hospital .
They have developed an interactive and immersive approach to further educate staff on the complexities of dementia and how our professional approach , interactions and the hospital environment has an impact . Turn to pages 26-28 to find out more .
And on pages 22-25 , Karen Shearsmith-Farthing and Jessica DeNicola share their evaluation of the ongoing impact of a dementia programme on people ’ s health and wellbeing and how listening and learning from participants is helping the programme to evolve .
Still shining a spotlight on our role in dementia care , on pages 20-21 , Marianne Elliot reflects on the NHS England dementia roundtable agenda and her experience of representing the profession at this vital seat at the table .
She calls for occupational therapists to further contribute to and develop a greater evidence and research base , which will continue to strengthen our profession ’ s standing and opportunities within dementia care .
In other features this month we focus on leadership ( pages 40-42 ), workforce challenges and enhanced practice ( pages 18-19 ), robotic technology and its integration with student education ( pages 34-35 ) and some tips to boost your confidence and take your skills to the next level when it comes to transport assessments ( pages 16-17 ).
And finally , part two of our series of governance review articles can be read on pages 6-7 , while our Annual Conference Preview can be found towards the middle of the magazine .
I ’ d love to hear from you
If you have any feedback about this issue of OTnews , or would like to contribute a short article or feature for a future publication , please email me at : editorial @ rcot . co . uk
Tracey Samuels Editor
May 2024 OTnews 3