This month brought a teaching session to a team who had had the Butterfly Scheme for years, but now had quite a few new Champions needing induction. I always enjoy those sessions, but this one was especially fulfilling; I was dealing with already insightful people, with a wealth of dementia care experience, allowing me to really stretch them. A special moment for me came at the end, when one hugely experienced participant sat back and struggled to express what he wanted to say in his feedback; after quite some thought, he found the word: refreshing! He was quite emotional about the way the teaching fitted his own ideals for dementia care and the way he hoped people living with dementia would be regarded.
That’s what the Butterfly Scheme is designed to do – to teach healthcare teams to work with each individual in an achievable way and within a system that fits together to provide a reliable safety net. Once that teaching is delivered, the team has access to a range of support materials, but relies on in-house leadership to keep them on track and supported; the day-to-day reliability of Scheme delivery ultimately rests with those in-house Leads.
For that reason, carers should note that if they have any concerns or queries about Scheme delivery while someone is currently receiving Butterfly Scheme care, these should be raised with the in-house Butterfly Scheme Lead at the organisation in question – and that’s especially important over the festive period, when the Scheme isn’t doing any teaching and takes a break; if carers can’t track down their Butterfly Scheme Lead, they should ask to speak to a Butterfly Scheme Champion (or simply Dementia Champion).
I’d also like to take this opportunity to warmly thank all those delivering the Butterfly Scheme over the festive season – Leads, Champions and absolutely every last one of you who do all you can to best support people living with dementia whilst they’re in your care. Together, you are making an enormous difference, not only to the patients, but also to those who love them.