8 Pillars Model of Community Support

The 8 Pillars Model of Community Support sets out an integrated and comprehensive, evidence-based approach to supporting people with dementia living at home during the moderate to severe stages of the illness.

The 8 Pillars Model builds on the resilience of people with dementia and their carers to enable them to live in the community for as long as possible. It builds on the one year Post Diagnostic Support guarantee to ensure the impact of the investment in early intervention is not lost.

Each factor of the illness influences every other factor and impacts on the overall health and wellbeing of the individual and their carer. Excess disability is created when people with dementia do not receive appropriate care and treatment for the symptoms of the illness. Without the right support, there is a gap between how people actually function and how they could potentially function. The 8 Pillars Model will provide each person with the best possible support to live in their own home.

The integration of health and social care provides an opportunity to create a structured, coordinated and strategic approach to community support for people with dementia and their carers. The 8 Pillars Model provides local authorities and NHS boards with a blueprint for restructuring integrated dementia care so that resources are used to greatest effect.

The 8 Pillars Model of Community Support is one of a series of evidence based models which describe what is needed to transform care and support for people with dementia in Scotland.  Each of these models was developed by Alzheimer Scotland alongside people living with dementia, their families and carers, and health and social care professionals.  Each model describes how Alzheimer Scotland’s vision for change can be put into practice.

Skilled, coordinated, timely, integrated care as described in these models is a far too rare experience for people with dementia and their families in Scotland, and we are campaigning alongside people with dementia, their families and carers to change this.  If you would like to work with us to help achieve transformational change for people living with dementia in Scotland, please click here or email [email protected]