Ending the dementia care lottery
Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, has spoken out in support of the fight against dementia.
Gideon visited locally-based charity Reminiscence Learning last Friday and attended the launch of Dementia UK's report, Fixing Palliative and End of Life Care for Dementia, in Parliament on Tuesday.
He said afterwards: “It is vital to people supported by local groups like Reminiscence Learning – where I learned a great deal during my visit – that proper help is available at the end of life.
“Few realise that a half to two-thirds of this care is funded by donations and charities with government funding only a proportion of what’s needed.
“That’s why I am completely behind Dementia UK’s call for high-quality and person-centred end-of-life care, and why in a recent debate on the need for better palliative care.
“I raised the tragic case of a constituent who could not get the right medications in their last hours because relevant doctors weren’t on duty at the weekend.
“We need to do better than that for people with dementia and a lot more Admiral Nurses would help to vastly improve vital quality of life for those living with dementia, and for carers.”
Dementia UK’s new report warns that many people with dementia are not receiving timely, coordinated palliative care despite dementia being the leading cause of death in the UK.
The charity is calling on governments across the UK to ensure dementia is recognised as a life-limiting condition and that specialist dementia expertise is embedded within palliative and end-of-life care services.
Dr Hilda Hayo, Dementia UK’s Chief Admiral Nurse and CEO, said: “Living with dementia brings physical, emotional and practical challenges, and too many people are left to navigate this journey alone.
“This report reflects the clinical expertise of our Admiral Nurses and the honest experiences of people living with dementia in the UK today.
“With the Government developing new national frameworks for both dementia and palliative care, there is a real opportunity to ensure people with dementia receive the coordinated, compassionate care they need at the end of life.
“We hope these recommendations are taken on board during a period of significant reform for the health and care system.”
Fiona Mahoney, Chief Executive of Chelston-based Reminiscence Learning, added: “We pride ourselves in supporting the full dementia journey for those living with dementia and their family carers.
“We are proud of the dementia research project we have just completed with Bath Spa University looking at ‘What a dementia inclusive community means to you and how we can support your dementia journey.’
“This has identified the inequalities of dementia care locally.
“With this in mind, Reminiscence Learning have pledged to become the first dementia inclusive community in the South West, with the help from the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.
“If you would like to read the research report, please go to our websitewww.reminiscencelearning.co.uk/research.”
Helpline information
If you need advice or support on living with dementia, contact Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email helpline@dementiauk.org. The Helpline is staffed by experienced Admiral Nurses. You can also book a free video or phone appointment to get expert dementia support from an Admiral Nurse. Find out more atwww.dementiauk.org/appointment.
Face-to-face support in Taunton
Dementia UK is hosting free face-to-face clinics for anyone affected by dementia in Taunton on the 7th and 8th of April as part of Nationwide Building Society's Fairer Futures programme. These clinics offer practical and emotional advice on all aspects of dementia and take place in Nationwide branches around the UK, offering a safe, comfortable and private space for people to discuss any aspect of dementia. Appointments can be booked at www.dementiauk.org/nationwide