The Alzheimer’s Society has launched a new campaign to improve dementia care and ensure patients have to spend less of their own money on care.
The charity found that people living with dementia end up spending around £100,000 on their own care, due to the current social care system.
OVERHAUL
The Fix Dementia Care campaign is calling for an overhaul of the system, to ensure those living with dementia can access the care they need.
They found that the average cost of a place in a nursing home has doubled in the last 20 years and is now at almost £1,000 each week.
The Alzheimer’s Society works closely with people who have spent their life savings on their dementia care, which due to the complexities of the condition, costs an average of 15 per cent more than other types of social care – a phenomenon the charity is calling the Dementia Penalty.
Not only does the Dementia Penalty cause huge financial strain, it can also impact the mental health of patients and their families, which in turn can aggravate and negatively impact an individual’s dementia.
CAMPAIGN
As part of the campaign, the charity is calling for three new measures:
- Bringing an end to the Dementia Penalty and introducing a £2.4 billion Dementia Fund
- More training for care workers, to enable them to provide the best possible care
- The provision of a care navigator, to ensure everyone has a direct point of contact to the care they need
It is hoped that the campaign will raise awareness of the condition and make top quality dementia care accessible to all patients – not just the ones who can afford it.
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