World Alzheimer’s Month: Is the Government prioritising a cure?

By Tinga Umera, Managing Director, Nexus Care Services

September is World Alzheimer’s Month – the ideal time to take a look at what is genuinely being done in the UK to support those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia (of which Alzheimer’s disease causes around 70 per cent of all cases).

Let’s look at the facts. 982,000 people are currently living with some form of dementia in the UK, predicted by the Alzheimer’s Society to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

Although dementia is a dynamic condition on a daily basis, with rates of progression determined by genetics, patient’s lifestyle and overall health at diagnosis, the support available and the type of dementia the person has, it is ultimately progressive without a cure.

That means that a lot of people – some 1.4 million – will eventually require substantial levels of care to have survive and thrive.

The Government, healthcare providers and dementia charities are united in one goal – to alleviate the pressure that dementia causes to patients and loved ones.

How this is achieved is unclear, but it seems there are two options – seek a cure or transform the current approach to dementia care.

Is dementia a priority for the Government?

Successive Governments have asserted the dangers of dementia to public health and wellbeing for patients, but what is actually being done about it?

In the Labour Party’s 2024 Election manifesto, the Government pledged to put “Britain at the forefront of transforming treatment for dementia”.

It is not yet fully clear how it will achieve this – we may see funding announced in the forthcoming Autumn Budget – but this key area of research is likely to figure into the Government’s pledge to “drive innovation” in pharmaceuticals and medicine and support faster approvals for new technologies and medicines.

In the realm of care, the Government had a lot more to say in its manifesto – citing the need to address the challenges facing public healthcare with regard to patient demand, an ageing population and ongoing staff shortages.

It pledged to ensure that “everyone lives an independent, prosperous life” in its social care reform manifesto, efforts which will eventually create the National Care Service for a “home-first” approach to care.

Care or a cure?

Examining the Government’s priorities with regard to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, it seems as though the priority is care and quality of life rather than a cure – although a cure is certainly on our collective radar.

This is unsurprising. While a cure may be possible for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, it has already proven to be costly, labour-intensive and time-consuming. Worth the struggle, but it does not address the issues facing those with dementia today.

This is where care comes in. Nexus is built on the foundations of individualised, client-centred care that prioritises independence and all-round wellbeing, so we’ve seen the impact that great care can have on those with otherwise very challenging conditions.

Dementia is progressive, yes, but it can also be very slow-moving.

Within that time, those living with dementia may have days when they can make all or certain decisions for themselves, and days where they cannot. It’s only once the condition has progressed past a certain point when more intensive and medicalised care is routinely required.

In the early stages of dementia, home care could well be the key to an optimised quality of life.

Support at home

We can look at the benefits of home care from two interwoven angles.

The first is that routine and familiarity are demonstrably good for those with dementia, particularly when it becomes more advanced – meaning staying at home with ad hoc support for as long as possible is hugely beneficial during this period of major upheaval.

The other is that people with dementia are people, individuals with lives and hobbies and loved ones. A dementia diagnosis can be extremely challenging and can knock confidence, but home care can help to restore that confidence – supporting with mealtimes, cleaning, hygiene and socialising so that the person can enjoy life to the fullest.

Living with dementia can mean exactly that – living and receiving the support that each person needs. Care that fits into a person’s life and individual needs looks to be the way forward, backed by the Government’s social care-led approach to supporting those with dementia.

A cure is certainly on the Government’s radar, although cost and efficacy will inevitably play a role. At present, this push is also undoubtedly supported by forthcoming pledges to enhance the availability of cutting-edge treatments and therapies for the wider population. In the meantime, care is key.

To find out more information on how home care can support those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, please contact our team.