Self Directed Peer Support for Dementia

BIADS have secured funding to promote self directed peer support for people with dementia and their carers.

It is hoped that by using self directed peer support and personal budgets people with dementia and their carers will be able to plan, choose and control what services they need to live a better life.

BIADS aim to encourage the use of self directed peer support and personal budgets by:

• Recruiting BIADS Personalisation Champions from within the BIADS membership. These are carers who have been using personal budgets successfully for some time allowing them to better care for someone with dementia.
• The Personalisation Champions will be available at BIADS meetings and events to share their experiences and knowledge of using personal budgets in caring for people with dementia.
• Producing an easy to understand information pack on self directed support specifically aimed at people with dementia and their carers.
  The information pack will be revised and updated regularly.
  It will include:
  • General information and advice on how to setup and run a personal budget.
  • Local information about obtaining services and help in Barnsley for those families affected by dementia.
  • Case studies involving BIADS members.
• Holding bi-monthly self directed support forums lead by service users and BIADS development workers.
• Publicising the project on dedicated pages in our newsletter and on our website.

The project was unvailed at BIADS 'time for tea' monthly meeting on Monday 8th November 2010 at the Baptist Church on Union Street (off Sheffield Road) when the Personalisation Champions were introduced.

Here there was also given a brief introduction to the project, information available on personal budgets, advise given from members of the Self Directed Support Team from Barnsley Council and the BIADS Personalisation Champions.

BIADS invites people with dementia and their carers to their bi-monthly self directed support forums

The forums allow you to:

• Gain information on self directed peer support and personal budgets.
• Share experiences, problems and sucesses with other people using self directed peer support and personal budgets with simular needs and wants to those of yourself.
• Get advice from a member of Self Directed Support Team from Barnsley Council.
• Meet the BIADS Personalisation Champions to talk, compare and learn from their knowledge and experiences of using personal budgets to manage their lives better.
• Learn more about obtaining services and help in Barnsley for those families affected by dementia.

If you have dementia or care for someone with dementia and you are confused about what personal budgets are or you want to know how self directed support could help you lead a better life you are personally invited to attend our Self Directed Support forums.

The next forum is at The Core, County Way, Barnsley, S70 2JW on Tuesday 29th March 2011 between 1.30pm and 3.30pm in Conference Room 2.

Disabled parking is available at The Core. Other car parking is available in County Way car park (please note there is a charge for parking in County Way car park).

You can find out more details about this new exciting project by ringing Barnsley 280057 or emailing the BIADS office here.

Remember to bookmark this page for the latest news and developments on this project.

Tuesday 29 March 2011
1.30-3.30pm
The Core
Conference Room 2
County Way, Barnsley,
S70 2JW.