Young Onset Dementia in Bromley Care Homes: A Caseload Audit
Parallel 4
18 November, 2026 12:00 – 1:10 pmYoung Onset Dementia (2)
Ross Horsley
Psychology Placement Student
Oxleas
Reinhard Guss
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Oxleas
Summary
Introduction: Young Onset Dementia (YOD) is dementia diagnosed at or before age 65. It is increasingly recognised as a clinically and socially distinct group from later-onset dementia and individuals with YOD have very different support needs. Despite an increasing prevalence of YOD, care home environments are rarely designed with a younger population in mind.
Aim: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of YOD within a specialist Dementia Care Home Team (DCHT) caseload, and to consider implications for care planning and service design.
Method: A full retrospective audit was conducted of the Bromley DCHT caseload (Jan 2023 – Dec 2025, N = 149) using patient record systems and team caseload records. Cases were classified as Definite YOD, Probable YOD, or Later Onset, and compared on demographics, dementia subtype, referral interval, and presenting distressed behaviour.
Findings: 20.8% of the caseload involved confirmed or probable YOD, which is significantly above typical prevalence estimates. YOD groups showed a male predominance (reversing the female majority seen in Later Onset cases and wider literature), higher representation of Global Majority ethnicities, and higher rates of physical aggression as a referral trigger to the team.
Discussion: People with YOD represent a demographically and clinically distinct subgroup within referrals to the care home team, whose needs may be poorly met by environments and care practices designed around an older, predominantly female population. The findings highlight specific equity considerations and support the case for more explicit consideration of younger adults in care home dementia pathways.