Press Release issued: 24 September 2012.
A pioneering service which helps care-workers identify sight problems in people with learning disabilities has scooped a major prize at Scotland's first ever Dementia Awards.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People's 'Vision Champion Training' programme, developed in partnership with the charity Alzheimer's Scotland, won 'Best Educational Initiative' at an inaugural ceremony at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
The award-winning programme, also shortlisted for 'Most Innovative Partnership', aims to improve awareness of the effects of sight loss and the effects of dementia on visual processing.
The RNIB team, based in Bishopbriggs in Glasgow, has pioneered methods of helping client-groups who can often struggle to effectively communicate they are having difficulty with their vision.
Linda Mitchell, the charity's practice and development team manager, said: "The foundation of this new programme was conceived when RNIB Scotland and Alzheimer's Scotland brought together their experience and expertise to introduce 'Understanding Sight Loss and Dementia' awareness training.
"RNIB recognised that those providing care and support to people with dementia also needed the tools to identify and recognise sight loss, prepare for vision tests and then translate the findings into practical support which could be incorporated into individual care plans.
"Winning this award will help us reach more people with dementia and sight loss. Over the next couple of years the Vision Champion model will be rolled out to wider dementia services as part of the Scottish Government's Joint Sensory Strategy. This model of service has applicability and sustainability for dementia services across the UK."
The Scottish Government funded RNIB to develop and pilot the Vision Champion programme. The initial one-year pilot scheme focused on six care homes with dementia-specific services, trained ten vision champions and 46 vision supporters who have potentially reached 237 people with dementia.