2018 Social Care Awards

GHP / Social Care Awards 2018 13 , people as possible who are living with memory loss or dementia in Somerset, Wiltshire and BaNES are able to develop their own Living Well Plan and have their voices heard. Company: Swan Advocacy Contact: Niki Westerling Address: Hi Point, Thomas Street, Taunton, TA2 6HB, UK Phone: 03333 447928 Website: www.swanadvocacy.org.uk Since its establishment in 1999, Swan Advocacy’s mission has been to ensure a clear voice for vulnerable adults through the provision of effective and inclusive advocacy based on the principles of equality and fairness; and tailored to meet the expressed and implied needs and wishes of each individual. Specifically with regards to dementia support, Swan’s Dementia Advocacy Service supports people with a concern about their memory or a diagnosis of dementia to complete a Living Well Plan. The project works across Somerset, Wiltshire and Bath & North East Somerset (BaNES) and is funded by a generous grant from the Big Lottery. A Living Well Plan is a document that records all of an individual’s important information in one place. It ensures person centred care is provided, by stating preferences and daily routines. The plan also captures the individual’s past, recording key events, stories and photos from their life, as it stores all their important information. Having a Living Well Plan helps someone to feel assured that their voice will be heard even when they are no longer able to communicate effectively. It will help those people who provide SO180016 Best Dementia Advocacy Service 2018 - SouthWest England SwanAdvocacy is a charity providing independent and free statutory and community advocacy services across the SouthWest of England.We profile the organisation to learnmore about the support it offers. care to better understand the individual and will help others to make decisions on their behalf, when they are no longer able to do so. As such, Swan’s Dementia Advocacy Service aims to assist as many people as possible to have a Living Well Plan. It is a free and independent service delivered by a team of advocates and trained volunteers, who can visit someone and help them to write their plan. They can also provide people with an electronic template and guidance should they wish to develop a Living Well Plan on their own. Looking ahead, Swan Advocacy has been funded to deliver this service free of charge until March 2019. The organisation is eager to continue to deliver this service in the future as it can see the positive impact it has on people’s lives. Although the continuation of the service depends on the organisation securing funding for it, today Swan Advocacy continues to ensure as many SWAN DAS PHOTO