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Circles
Community Advocacy Project
Ryan O'Neill -
Project Manager
C/O
Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Morningside Place
Edinburgh
EH10 5HF
Tel: 0131 537 6004
Fax: 0131 537 6004
Email:
ryan.oneill@circlesnetwork.org.uk
The Circles Community
Advocacy Project provides independent individual advocacy to people who have
dementia and live in their own homes in the City of Edinburgh. This Project
began in January 2005. Advocacy for people with dementia is a new, challenging
and exciting area of work aiming to foster empowering opportunities for people
with dementia to have control of their own lives.
The aim of this project is to promote the empowerment,
protection and representation of people who have dementia. Advocacy is about
speaking up for someone, defending their rights when necessary, listening to and
being on the side of the individual. Advocacy is also about safeguarding
individuals who are in situations where they are vulnerable.
The opportunity for the Circles Community Advocacy Project is
a direct result of the new Mental Health (Care & Treatment) (Scotland) Act
2003. The new act gives everyone with a mental health difficulty, learning
difficulty or personality disorder the right to access independent advocacy.
This is inclusive of people with dementia.
People with dementia may
need advocacy:
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if vulnerable to physical,
psychological, emotional and financial abuse
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at times when major decisions about future care have to be
reached
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when there are conflicts of interest or poor relationships
with family
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to ensure legal entitlements & civil rights are upheld
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to ensure the voice and views of the individual are heard
and considered
Advocacy can:
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Enhance communication
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Help people with
dementia to speak out and make their voices heard
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Give people opportunity
to express their opinions
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Reduce anxiety through
decision making processes
“We are very enthusiastic about our opportunity to support
people through our advocacy work in Scotland. This particular Project is a
challenging and innovative piece of work that will evolve through learning and
development. We are keen to seek out the insight of people who have dementia or
from those who have cared for someone with dementia, in order to ensure that our
approaches are in line with what those who have significant experiences feel is
most helpful. Our main aim is to provide a support that allows for people to
have as much control as possible over their lives and decisions being made about
their futures. We will use a variety of Person Centred Tools in order to make
our work accessible to people and to get a clear understanding of what people’s
views are ”.
The Circles Community Advocacy Project is based at the Royal
Edinburgh Hospital however remains independent of the National Health Service.
Ryan O'Neill -
Project Manager
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Hi my name is Ryan O’Neill and I
have a sincere and long standing interest in the health and social welfare
of older people, through my academic and occupational experience this has
strengthened and focused on people’s experience of physical and mental
health differences.
In 2004 I graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Health Psychology and for
the last three years I have worked extensively within the field of
advocacy and adult mental health, most recently I developed and delivered
a Long Stay Care Advocacy service for people with dementia living in
residential and nursing homes within the London Borough of Ealing.
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I have produced and delivered a
range of training courses for health care professionals on specialist key
issues relating to older people with dementia in health care settings, I have
also been involved in establishing and facilitating support groups to reduce
the isolation and stress experienced by informal carers.
I have a strong belief in the principles of advocacy, a dedicated commitment
to human and civil rights and a belief in the right to fulfilment of
potential however limited. In 2007 I submitted written evidence on the human
rights of older people in healthcare settings for the House of Commons Joint
Committee on Human Rights.
My particular fields of interest are long term care and older people,
cultures of aging, reminiscence therapy and the
impact of mental health on the family unit. |
Janine Johnstone - Advocate
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I am under forty, by how much I’ll let
you all guess, married to a lovely huge hairy husband for 12 years, who
was a roofer but now can’t be insured because of having brittle bones – so
he runs his own business instead. His name’s Duncan.
I love plants, walking, reading, swimming, my cat Reiver who is
differently abled; and I like spending time in the company of any type of
animals, and in natural surroundings.
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I think advocating for dementia sufferers (which I do)
who live in the community is very important, as the voice of an individual
with this complaint is frequently unheard. |
If
you would like more information on this Project or would be interested in
becoming involved with the Project, please contact us.
C/O Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Morningside Place
Edinburgh EH10 5HF
Tel No: 0131 537 6004
Fax: 0131 537 6004
Email:
circles.advocacy@myedinburgh.org
Funded by Edinburgh Council
Circles Network Scotland
Scottish Charity number: SC038068
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