Psychosocial Interventions in Dementia - INTERDEM Group

39th EAGP/11º APG Congress
Porto November 2011

This congress was a great success and an opportunity to showcase innovative research from INTERDEMMERS. In the symposium Henriette van der Roest presented STAR - Skills Training and Re-skilling for Carers of People with Dementia - A European Lifelong Learning Project on Online Training in Dementia Care a project which aims to develop, providing and evaluating online training in six different European languages for anyone caring for a person with dementia.

Gill Manthorpe highlighted the pressures on professionals in decision making about risk in dementia services and new Department of Health Guidance produced by her team entitled ‘Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained’ conveying new emphasis on risk as empowering for people with dementia. Martin Orrell described the development of a manual and advisory protocol designed to help teams manage and support people with dementia and their carers during crises in the community and prevent hospital admissions. Lastly, Afifa Qazi described a new model of community care involving closer working between old age psychiatrists, primary care physicians, and care homes which dramatically reduced psychiatric admissions for people with dementia. Porto is a beautiful historic city made all the nicer by our trip to a classic Port winery, entertainment and great meal.