Findings published in Jama Network Open have shown that cognitive tests done via a smartphone app are reliable at detecting early signs of frontotemporal dementia in people with a genetic predisposition to the condition. The app tested walking, balance and movements, as well as different aspects of language, and was used by 360 participants. The…
Dementia UK has published a new leaflet entitled ‘Living alone with dementia’. It includes information about using technology, maintaining routines, keeping socially active, driving, safety, finances and much more, with a dedicated section on young onset dementia. You can read more and download the leaflet here: https://www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/living-with-dementia/living-alone-with-dementia/
New legislation – The Carer’s Leave Act – has come into effect that enables unpaid carers to ask for up to five days leave from their employer every year without risking dismissal. Employees can take time off in full or half days, or in a whole block of five days. Emily Holzhausen OBE, Director of…
The Foundation for Nursing Studies (FoNS) has announced new cohorts from June 2024 for their fully-funded training programme: ‘Resilience Based Clinical Supervision for Social Care’. The course is open to nurses and nurse associates in social care in any settings across England. The training has received excellent feedback so far. Find out more here: https://www.fons.org/learning-zone/clinical-supervision-resources/rbcs-social-care
NHS England has included dementia in their 2024/25 priorities and operational planning guidance. Specifically, National NHS Objectives for 2024/25 say: “Improve quality of life, effectiveness of treatment, and care for people with dementia by increasing the dementia diagnosis rate to 66.7% by March 2025.” You can read the guidance here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/PRN00715-2024-to-2025-priorities-and-operational-planning-guidance-27.03.2024.pdf
Ex-rugby player Steve Thompson, who was diagnosed with young onset dementia in 2020, has announced that the documentary he made for the BBC entitled ‘Head On: Rugby, Dementia and Me’ that was first aired in October 2022 has had its availability continued on the BBC iPlayer platform. You can view the documentary here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001ctkw/head-on-rugby-dementia-and-me
Alive Activities, in conjunction with Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service, Alzheimer’s Society and the Football Association, has made a film showing three England footballers experiencing the dementia ‘Empathy Suit’. The ‘Empathy Suit’ is made up of 13 components which work to inhibit mobility, motor skills, vision and hearing. CEO of Alive Activities, Isobel Jones, says: “The…
33 MP’s have attended an event in parliament to hear about Dementia UK’s ‘Fix the Funding’ campaign. They heard from people affected by dementia, as well as Chief Admiral Nurse and Dementia UK CEO Hilda Hayo and her Admiral Nursing colleagues, about why the NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding process needs to be reviewed. Dementia…
Findings from the 2023 British Social Attitudes survey have been published by the Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund. The survey shows that only 24% of the public are satisfied with the NHS and only 13% are satisfied with social care. These are the lowest levels of satisfaction recorded since the survey began in 1983. …
Meeting Centres Scotland has been officially launched to promote community-driven dementia care. The Meeting Centres model was pioneered in Amsterdam 30 years ago. Scotland’s first meeting centre opened in 2019 in Kirriemuir, and Scotland now has 19 Meeting Centres that aim to increase confidence and wellbeing for people with dementia and their families. Meeting Centres…