Dementia 1995-2003

The issue

Dementia is a cruel disease. It causes a progressive inability to think and reason, and the earliest signs are loss of short-term memory and personality change.

There are over 700,000 people in the UK with dementia, including 20,000 people under the age of 65. That figure is set to increase to 850,000 by 2020. In all cases family and friends are put under enormous strain. Currently there is no cure.

What we did

Between 1995-2003 over £2 million was invested in nine partners and 22 projects with grants ranging from £20,000 - over £500,000.

What the programme achieved

• Touched the lives of 70,000 people with dementia
• Triggered real change in care services and improved the quality of life for people with dementia – and their carers
• Developed a groundbreaking accreditation scheme for 400,000 home care workers
• Brought about change in the Alzheimer’s Society by changing their focus from supporting the carers of people with dementia to directly supporting people with dementia
• Developed new training for GPs, health professionals and carers to recognise the symptoms of dementia and to signpost ways to support dementia sufferers
• Introduced people to new kinds of dementia therapy
• Filled gaps in service provision. For example in rural areas like North Wales, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
• Helped to develop a new service akin to Macmillan Nurses, although Admiral Nurses are specially trained in the needs of people with dementia.
• Challenged the Government, local authorities and service providers to think differently about how they care for people with dementia.
• Levered over £500,000 to dementia initiatives from other funding sources.