A new report from the International Longevity Centre (ILC) has found that almost one million people with dementia in the UK are currently woefully under-supported, with care provision around the country patchy, poorly resourced and unequal.
In the UK, over one in three people with the disease remain undiagnosed, which means they’re less likely to access support, are often left to cope on their own and are more likely to find themselves in hospital emergency departments. Post-diagnosis, many people also receive no formal care plan and only limited follow-ups.
The study, backed by the Alzheimer’s Society and the Peter Sowerby Foundation, described dementia support as a postcode lottery, with just over two in three people having any kind of care plan in place.
It is now calling for better post-diagnostic support, a transition to community-based care and more investment in prevention, all of which would help those with the disease live for longer, as well as reducing pressure on carers, hospitals and overstretched services.
Dementia costs in the UK have now reached £42 billion and it’s predicted that this will more than double by 2040 to reach between £90 and £95 billion. A lot of this cost is carried by families and unpaid carers, the majority of whom are women.
So what are the solutions?
The PriDem model
Interventions such as the PriDem model could help address the situation effectively. This is a practical evidence-based approach that brings together personal care planning, community support and primary care, with pilot roll-outs increasing the proportion of those with tailored care plans from 37 per cent to 65 per cent.
Here, key barriers are targeted to provide necessary support, with the emphasis on developing sustainable improvements in care through three key intervention strands:
– Developing tailored care and support for people with dementia and their families within primary care
– Developing systems for evidence-based post-diagnostic support
– Supporting non-specialists to provide care and support, building both capacity and capability as a result
Professor Dame Louise Robinson led the PriDem research at Newcastle University and said: “Living better with dementia is not rocket science. We don’t yet have a cure – but we do know how to help people live well. What we need now is investment and political will to make that support universally available.”
Report recommendations
The ILC report goes on to call for universal personalised care plans for everyone diagnosed, further investment in prevention, including mid-life brain health checks to improve early diagnosis, support for family carers, better training for care workers and healthcare professionals, and more dementia-inclusive services.
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at the Alzheimer’s Society, made further comments, saying that the disease represents the biggest health and social care challenge of the 21st century and its impact is “enormous”.
The PriDem model demonstrates how valuable research is in developing evidence-based care, supporting not just people with dementia but their families and carers, as well, he concluded.
