Body for community care gives positive response to PM challenge on dementia

The Prime Minster today challenged society to respond positively to the numbers of people affected by dementia, by urging communities and services to improve support.

Martin Green, chief executive of ECCA (The English Community Care Association), the largest representative body for community care in England said: “The Independent sector is delivering services to large numbers of people with dementia and today leading organisations have committed themselves to a compact that gives a real commitment to improving care.

“These leading organisations have been in the vanguard of the compact but I am confident thousands more will join them.”

Society is not “geared up” to dealing with dementia think three quarters of people in the UK according to a new report by Alzheimer’s Society.

Dementia 2012: A National Challenge reflects the negative impact this is having on people with dementia. The report found that:

•61 per cent of people diagnosed with dementia are left feeling lonely

•77 per cent feel anxious or depressed

•And nearly half, 44 per cent have lost friends

Alzheimer’s Society wants to ensure dementia sufferers receive the support and respect they deserve and is calling for a radical shift in the way society treats people with dementia.

Speaking at the launch of Dementia 2012, Prime Minister David Cameron issued the first ever Prime Ministerial challenge on dementia. He outlined plans to give a boost to dementia research, address quality of dementia care and increase understanding of the condition. As part of this challenge, Alzheimer’s Society will begin work to make villages, towns and cities more dementia friendly.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister marks an unprecedented step towards making the UK a world leader in dementia.

“Doubling funding for research, tackling diagnosis and calling for a radical shift in the way we talk, think and act on dementia will help to transform lives.

“There are currently 800,000 people with dementia yet too many are not able to live well with the condition. The PM is leading the way but from Plymouth to Preston, from the boardroom to bus drivers, we all have a role to play.”