Cavan District Vulnerable Persons Register

Description

Cavan Community Engagement Unit generated a suitable form for completion by families or carers of older persons, for example vulnerable persons or people with Dementia. On completion this record would be stored securely in a Vulnerable Persons Register at Cavan Garda Station. The information would only accessed when required should their be an interaction with the person or if they were missing or their safety or security was in question. The Register is to support Vulnerable persons and their families and provide Garda members or outside agency with the relevant individual data relating to that particular person in their time of need, in line with the Garda policy of ‘Keeping People Safe’. Garda Christine Gallagher of Cavan Community Engagement Unit endeavoured to develop a Cavan District Vulnerable persons register to support vulnerable people and their families. The development and continuous update of this register means that if a vulnerable person for example with Dementia went missing or if Cavan Gardaí had an interaction with them inside or outside their home and they required help, vital information could quickly be accessed to ensure their Security and Safety.
Garda Gallagher undertook a multi-agency approach, engaging with the Cavan & Monaghan Dementia Advisor Elaine Kearney while creating a suitable form. The form has been disseminated to many families in Cavan and organisations have assisted in providing the form to those most in need such as Cavan Alzheimer’s Society and Primary Care. The completed forms are stored at Cavan Garda Station in the Community Engagement office. All Garda members stationed in the Cavan District have been briefed in relation to its whereabouts, use and update.
Garda Gallagher relays an incident in Cavan prior to the registers creation when an older person with Dementia was brought into the Garda Station by a member of the public. They were confused, unable to say what their name was and they had not been reported missing. Thankfully a Garda member recognised the person and he was eventually brought home. The Vulnerable Persons Register would speed up the process of identifying the person causing them less stress and getting them home quicker to the safety and security of family and carers.

Aim of Initiative

The Aim of the Initiative is to provide the highest possible level of Safety and Security to older vulnerable persons in the Cavan area both inside and outside their home through a community based response through the creation of a Vulnerable Persons Register in consultation with the appropriate stakeholders in the area.

Who is it aimed at

Aimed at People with Dementia or similar illnesses, Older Vulnerable persons who live alone or have little support in consultation carers, family members and community based support services.
No Cost involved in this initiative outside of printing the forms. Garda Gallagher used an upcycled folder to store all data.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Meeting with Elaine Kearney the Cavan Monaghan Dementia Advisor for stakeholder input. Creating a suitable form on one page that takes in all the important information and printing them out.
2. Advertising the initiative in local papers, social media outlets and at age friendly roadshows. The forms were disseminated to appropriate local agencies such as Cavan Alzheimer’s Society and local district nurse in primary care.
3. Completing a Cavan District Vulnerable Persons Register containing the relevant completed forms. Informing local Garda Members and agencies of its existence to proactively ensure the safety and security of those contained within.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Designing a compact form that captured all the relevant information. This will be a process that will be constantly under review for additional sections.
2. Trying to inform all the families in the Cavan District that this folder exists, Sons and Daughters living in other countries and County’s have forwarded the form to Cavan Community Engagement Unit. They feel reassured that Gardaí have this information if required and to keep their loved one safe.
3. No other Challenges

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Great response and assistance from organisations like Cavan Alzheimer’s Society in Cavan and other agencies. Improved interagency communication and interaction.
   Positive feedback and engagement from families of the relevant persons.
2. A positive knock on effect in other areas with persons from different counties in Ireland enquiring and hoping to adapt and create a similar process.
3. A Vulnerable Persons Register in Cavan Station designed to enhance the safety and security of persons in the area and enable older persons and their families to feel secure in the homes and outside.