A NEW partnership will result in £450,000 in funding to help make care homes in East Ayrshire more dementia friendly.

The Life Changes Trust are investing £225,000 into the partnership between the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

It is based on a UK-wide initiative called ‘My Home Life’, which aims to improve the quality of life of people who are living permanently in care homes with UWS and East Ayrshire Council (EAC) ploughing in an extra £205,000.

Professor Belinda Dewar, professor of practice improvement with UWS, said: “We are delighted to have secured funding from Life Changes Trust for this exciting new project which will build on our strong relationship with East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership. Through this project we will work closely with care home residents living with dementia and those who support them to discover what matters to them, their hopes and aspirations and what being part of a dementia friendly community means to them.

“The project will be underpinned by My Home Life’s commitment to relationship-centred practice. We are aiming to create an enriched care environment where older people with dementia and staff and families who support them experience a sense of security, belonging, continuity, purpose, achievement and significance.”

Cumnock and New Cumnock Councillor Jim McMahon, EAC’s cabinet member with responsibility for older people and community safety, added: “Dementia can really affect someone’s life in a number of ways and they can often end up isolated.

“Here in East Ayrshire, we are constantly striving to make sure no one is left feeling lonely and getting the community involved with our care homes is definitely having a positive impact on our residents with dementia.

“This funding from the Life Changes Trust is fantastic.”