New Admiral Nurse
The local area is now benefitting from a new Admiral Nurse, who is taking an essential role in supporting families and improving the experience of those affected by dementia.
Mary-Jo Anson is employed by Livewell SouthWest CiC and joined the Tavistock area community health and social care team as an Admiral Nurse in October last year for a new position covering three GP practices: Abbey Rise, Tavyside Health Centre, and Yelverton Surgery. Admiral nurses are supported by Dementia UK and provide specialist dementia support for families, particularly during times of loss, transition and changing relationships. The charity was founded by the family of Joseph Levy CBE BEM when he was diagnosed with vascular dementia, and the name of Admiral Nurses came about as Joseph was known affectionately as ‘Admiral Joe’ due to his love of sailing. There are now around 290 Admiral Nurses working across the UK in hospitals, hospices, care homes and in the community.
Based at Abbey Rise in Tavistock, Mary-Jo spends the majority of her time working flexibly in the community in collaboration with GPs, local charities, health and social care professionals and community groups who all offer support to those living with dementia. She is able to direct families to the appropriate service depending on the level of help required to ensure families receive a range of tailored and flexible support within the dementia pathway, including ‘Memory Matters’ courses which offer advice and information on all aspects of dementia for both carers and patients. The ‘Well Pathway for Dementia’ is a 5-step NHS plan to living with dementia – preventing well, diagnosing well, supporting well, living well and dying well. This holistic approach aims to reduce the risk of dementia; diagnose the disease accurately and timely; promote independence, choice and support through coordinated care; and lastly allow the patient to die with dignity and individual, palliative treatment.
Mary-Jo also has a personal caseload of families requiring complex care or specialist intervention and works with them on aspects such as managing care transition, medical advice, practical solutions and promoting mental and emotional wellbeing. Admiral Nurses start with a comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessment of each family they work with, to get a full picture of where they need help. Mary-Jo aims to support these families from the point of diagnosis through to post bereavement. Her in-depth clinical knowledge and dementia experience supports families to live more positively with dementia, prevent crisis, and maintain a good quality of life. Since taking up her post in autumn last year, Mary-Jo has been busy finding her feet, but she says the support that she has received from all of the local services and community groups has been amazing, and the welcome she has found amongst the families, friends and carers of those with dementia is truly inspiring.
For more information contact Mary-Jo Anson: 01392 386966; 07554 459141; m.anson@nhs.net
(Footnote in small print)
Livewell Southwest CiC, Dementia U.K. the group of GP practices which form the West Devon Primary Care Network, Devon Partnership Trust, Tavistock Dementia Action Alliance, Tavistock Area Support Services and the Memory Café, Home Instead Tavistock & Tamar Valley, Alzheimer’s Society and Devon Carers are working in partnership to develop an integrated dementia pathway.