Age UK | October 2020 | The impact of COVID-19 to date on older people’s mental and physical health
Carers, families, and friends of people living with dementia have told Age UK that they have seen rapid deterioration in their loved one’s cognitive function, which has affected memory, sleep, mood, and behaviour. They explained how hard it has been to help someone with dementia to understand why they cannot do the things they enjoy or see the people they love
Alzheimer’s Society| September 2020| Worst hit: dementia during coronavirus
A new report from the Alzheimer’s Society spotlights the impact of the pandemic on family and friends caring for a loved one with dementia. Worst hit: dementia during coronavirus reveals that 92 million extra hours of care have been given in response to what the report terms, the ‘double whammy of lockdown making dementia symptoms worse, and the chronically underfunded social care system leaving them nowhere else to turn.’
Almost half (45%) of those caregivers surveyed by the charity, felt the level of care their loved one with dementia needed was more than they could give. Half of carers have spent more than 100 hours a week looking after or helping the person they care for since 23 March.
Image is a poster taken from the publication, it states key statistics from the report
Alzheimer Europe | February 2020 |Dementia in Europe Yearbooks
A new report from Alzheimer Europe predicts that the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease-based on current trends- will increase twofold by 2050. The report emphasises that this is despite a reduction in the prevalence of dementia.
The 2018 Alzheimer Europe Yearbook focuses on the current status and development of national dementia strategies in Europe, detailing the content of the existing strategies, thereby providing a comparison between countries. There are currently 21 countries and regions with a dementia strategy, 2 countries whose governments have formally committed to the development of a strategy, two neurodegenerative strategies published and further work underway in other countries (Source: Alzheimer Europe)
The full publication is available to purchase from Alzheimer Europe
Around 460,000 people in England are diagnosed with dementia. And it’s estimated that an additional 200,000 people are undiagnosed. The latest report from NICE highlights progress made by the health and care system in implementing NICE guidance. We recognise that change can sometimes be challenging and may require pathway reconfiguration. Additional resources such as training and new equipment may also be required.
We work with partners including NHS England and NHS Improvement, Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Care Providers Alliance and Public Health England to support these changes, and we also look for opportunities to make savings by reducing ineffective practice (Source: NICE).
All Party Parliamentary Group | June 2019 | Hidden no more: Dementia and disability
A new report from the All Party Parliamentary Group aims to shine a spotlight on dementia as a disability, to enable people with dementia to assert their rights to services and for their rights as citizens to be treated fairly and equally. Thousands of people who responded to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) inquiry agreed that they see dementia as a disability. But they told the APPG that society is lagging behind and failing to uphold the legal rights of people with dementia. Within the report the All Party Parliamentary Group identify six key areas for action which have a direct impact on people’s daily lives, these are:
Today, 21 September 2018, is World Alzheimer’s Day. Coinciding with this, Alzheimer’s Disease International have released the World Alzheimer Report 2018: The State of the art of dementia research: New frontiers.
This report is written to be of appeal to a broad audience including governments and policymakers, academics and researchers and the general public with an interest in dementia.
Essentially the report is an overview of where we are currently: the hopes and frustrations, the barriers, the enablers and the ground-breaking work being undertaken.
The report’s key calls-to-action:
Improving the sharing, using and disseminating of data and using registries in the best possible way.
A minimum 1% of the societal cost of dementia to be devoted to funding research in: basic science, care improvements, prevention and risk reduction, drug development and public health.
Attracting researchers and skill to the sector
Increasing the scale of new research with the global ratio of publications on neurodegenerative disorders versus cancer at just 1:12
Involvement of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the research process.
Encouraging innovation, the use of technology and entrepreneurship.
To support the 2018 World Alzheimer’s Month campaign, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) in partnership with ITN Productions have released the documentary film below ‘Every 3 seconds’ to help raise awareness of global impact of dementia:
Alzheimer’s Society warns of generations unprepared for astronomical dementia costs
This report contains the findings of a consultation with people affected by dementia. It reveals that nearly half of the UK adults questioned had not started saving for the care and support they might need in the future, and a third agreed that before being asked, they had not considered the cost of dementia care and support. It brings together the views of more than 3,850 people with dementia, carers and the public, in a series of in-depth interviews and face-to-face and online surveys.
This report marks the second phase of an Alzheimer’s Society campaign looking at the experiences of people with dementia in a range of health and care settings. It contains the results of a survey of care home managers and the voices of people with dementia, their families and carers. The report sets out recommendations for the government and NHS to improve the experiences of people with dementia in care homes.
Alzheimer’s Society wants to ensure that people with dementia receive the highest standards of care wherever they are: in hospital, in a care home, or in the home. Our latest report has uncovered some shocking examples of dangerous and inadequate care in hospitals throughout England.
Hospitals have a duty to be transparent and accountable to their patients, and to continually monitor and improve dementia care.
While there are notable examples of excellent care across the country, the difference from one hospital to the next is far too great and there is inconsistent understanding of the needs of people with dementia.
Our campaign is making the following recommendations to fix dementia care:
All hospitals to publish an annual statement of dementia care, which includes feedback from patients with dementia, helping to raise standards of care across the country
The regulators, Monitor and the Care Quality Commission to include standards of dementia care in their assessments
Three leading models of how to care for people with dementia are being flagged up to the NHS in a bid to improve patient services by sharing learning.
Thousands of people are benefiting from the thriving schemes at Gnosall, Northumberland, and Rotherham and Doncaster and are highlighted in a new report from NHS England.
Patient benefits include: 100 per cent appointment attendance rates, minimal delays, reduced A&E care, less use of mental health services, reduction of fear and stigma, accessibility, choice, specialist tests close to home, only giving information once and having clear agreed care plans.
