Families hit by long waits for dementia diagnosis

Keith and Sue Andrews, who met when they were both 15 and have spent 57 years together, faced a lengthy wait for Sue’s dementia diagnosis. Sue’s condition has deteriorated to the point that she now lives in a care home. Keith says they waited about a year for the diagnosis, a period he describes as difficult. He adds that knowing the diagnosis made daily life more manageable. “I won't accidental it's easy, but you cognize wherever you're going, and you cognize wherever you're heading and you consciousness a batch much assured successful what you're doing. ” “Because you cognize you're doing the close thing, but earlier that diagnosis, you don't cognize if you're doing the close happening oregon what to bash even. ” “And it's a horrible time, a horrible time.” Like Keith, nine out of ten families surveyed said that a formal diagnosis made at least one aspect of life easier. This included recognizing symptoms and behaviours, supporting the person living with dementia, accessing information, and speaking with healthcare professionals. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “This Government is determined to fortify the enactment that is disposable some to individuals affected by dementia, and the household members who look aft them.” “We are bringing guardant the timetable for Baroness Casey's committee connected betterment of the societal attraction system, and we are appointing a caller dementia tsar to assistance pb our enactment successful that area, arsenic recommended by Baroness Casey.” “We are besides implementing a caller enactment program for unpaid carers to guarantee that they person the enactment and designation they merit for the selfless enactment they do.”