Making Individual Service Funds Work for People with Dementia Living in Care Homes

Individual Service Funds (ISFs) offers service users the opportunity to get the support they want and need, when they want it, in a way that works for them, but until now there has been much confusion about how they can work for people with dementia living in care homes. Describing a two-year pilot carried out in Bruce Lodge care home in Stockport, this book demonstrates very clearly what works and what doesn't, and how to deal with difficulties and setbacks. The authors describe clearly how they went about introducing ISFs to the care home, including the simple person-centred planning tools used, the involvement of various stakeholders, and through case examples offer clear evidence of the dramatic improvements to quality of life the approach can deliver. There is a strong focus on managerial and organisational issues, including how to get staff 'on board', how to provide adequate support, how to budget, how to build effective partnerships and how to implement whole company change. This is essential reading for all those inviolved in providing residential care for people with dementia, including senior care staff, care home managers, local authority commissioners, service providers and policy makers.