What Is Post-Diagnostic Support Community Outreach Team (CREST-PDS)?
The CREST-PDS programme gives persons newly diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers a structured support system consisting of information, service linkage and case management.
The programme supports both the person living with dementia and their caregivers for six months upon the referral.
A CREST-PDS team, comprising an allied healthcare professional and community liaison coordinators, aims to help them understand their condition, coordinate community resources to support a person-centred care and facilitate early planning and management of the disease.
How Does CREST-PDS Help Caregivers?
At the point of receiving the diagnosis of dementia, the newly diagnosed person and their caregiver may not fully understand the condition, including where information can be found, what support and care services are available and what to expect as the condition progresses. As a result, help is only sought when there is a crisis, or when there is significant caregiver stress.
Timely Support
CREST-PDS seeks to address their needs by providing timely support from the time of diagnosis to prepare persons living with dementia and their caregivers so that they are able to plan for, respond to and manage the situation at home, or work with community partners for suitable care interventions.
Assessment And Resources
For persons who have been newly diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers, the CREST-PDS team will conduct needs assessment and provide psycho-education and the necessary resources. Based on the needs identified, a personalised care plan will be developed for and together with both the person living with dementia and caregiver.
Care Services Linkage
The CREST-PDS team will also coordinate and link up the person living with dementia and their caregiver with appropriate care services.
Caregiver Support Network
The programme also includes a caregiver support network where caregivers can engage and interact with each other through their shared experiences, co-develop solutions to challenges and lean on each other for social and emotional support.
Download the CREST-PDS brochure:
Eligibility Criteria
Persons living with dementia eligible for enrolment:
- Diagnosis of dementia by a Singapore Medical Council-registered medical practitioner
- Referral from hospital within 1.5 years of dementia diagnosis
- Stage of dementia is mild or moderate
CREST-PDS Service Providers
- Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in partnership with Fei Yue Active Ageing Centre (Commonwealth)
- Sengkang General Hospital in partnership with Allkin Singapore Ltd
- Alexandra Hospital in partnership with NTUC Health Co-operative Ltd
- Institute of Mental Health in partnership with Filos Community Service Ltd
- Singapore General Hospital in partnership with Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities Limited
- Changi General Hospital in partnership with Montfort Care
How to Enrol for CREST-PDS?
CREST-PDS provided by AIC is currently available at the above hospitals only. If your loved one with dementia is receiving care at any of the hospitals above, consult your doctor who is managing your loved one’s dementia condition about this programme.
Alternatively, you may explore Dementia Singapore’s (DSG) Post Diagnostic Support (PDS) service here*.
Note:
Post Diagnostic Support service offered by Dementia Singapore has a different service model and enrolment criteria. DSG PDS only receives referrals from specific hospitals. For more information, please contact Dementia Helpline at 63770700.
