Samenvatting

Dementia will have affected approximately 13.42 million people in Europe by 2030. Despite the growing number of people with dementia, the demand for good quality care and support is currently inappropriately met. The challenge is to provide sustainable person-centred programmes of care and support in local communities to enable people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) introduced another layer of complexity to existent challenges in meeting the needs of people with dementia throughout condition progression. The Community Areas of Sustainable Care and Dementia Excellence in Europe (CASCADE) project partnership was set for full implementation of a collectively developed integrated approach to community dementia care prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of project activities came to a halt with an emphasis on keeping everyone safe from cross infection. Nevertheless, COVID-19 should not be an excuse for persistent experiences of suboptimal care but an opportunity to respond to the changing healthcare landscape and address overdue improvements in the care for people with dementia. This booklet offers guidance to applying CASCADE ways of working developed to promote and facilitate independence for people with dementia. The booklet constitutes of four parts incorporating stories from people directly involved in care and insights into continuous integrated dementia care in predicaments such as pandemics. Published literature mainly from the West complements Part 1, which presents an overview of the delivery and experiences of health and social care during the first wave of COVID-19. Part 2 outlines the CASCADE model including its core elements and how they work together to facilitate ongoing independence and engagement in meaningful activity. Part 3 of the booklet draws on possible infection control measures in a pandemic to describe opportunities for applying CASCADE ways of working to enable nonstop support for people with dementia. The last section, Part 4, is a reflection on challenges and ways of moving forward positively during and post-COVID-19 pandemic.