People need not suffer silently with Alzheimer’s - Yorkshire Post Letters
From: Dr Hilda Hayo OBE, chief admiral nurse and chief executive at Dementia UK, London.
This World Alzheimer’s Month, I am writing to let your readers know that if they are affected by dementia, they do not have to face it alone.
Dementia is a huge and growing health crisis. One in two of us will be affected in our lifetime – whether by caring for someone with dementia, developing it ourselves, or both. Receiving a diagnosis, or supporting somebody with dementia can be frightening and overwhelming, and too many people are left without the support they so urgently need.
New research, published as part of our Promise to Care campaign, which sets out three key tests for Andy Burnham’s Government as it seeks to reform social care, shows that families are too often being left to coordinate care themselves.
Almost half (46 per cent) said they did not know who to contact when support needs changed or increased, and only 12 per cent said support was provided quickly when this did happen.
The research also revealed the impact that increasing care needs has on carers, with 49 per cent reporting exhaustion or breakdown.
We want families to know that we are here for them. Dementia UK’s admiral nurses work with people affected by dementia every day to provide practical guidance and life changing support around the condition, whenever it’s needed.
They help people understand symptoms and changes in behaviour, navigate challenging health and care services, plan for the future and cope with the impact dementia can have on family life.
Dementia doesn’t take a day off, which is why our free Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is open seven days a week. This World Alzheimer’s Month, we want people to know we’re here.
You don’t need to wait until you reach a crisis point before asking for help. Every family affected by dementia should have access to specialist support.