Report: Caring for someone with dementia
Over 7% of people over the age of 65 in the UK today have been diagnosed with dementia. In Bristol this equates to nearly five thousand people, and it is thought that 40% of all dementia care is unpaid and is provided by family or friends within the home.
Our latest report, 'Caring for someone with dementia: a unique journey', summarises the feedback we heard from people caring for individuals with dementia, how they feel, and what improvements need to be made to health and social care.
Carers need time for themselves too, so you can still be yourself. You need people to acknowledge your experience and…the professionals need to listen. Being heard is really important.
Our main findings include that:
- Ethnically sensitive and tailored care for dementia patients would help to ease the burden for the carer
- If carers were able to access flexible appointments to fit with caring commitments, there would be fewer missed opportunities to support their needs
- Carers often feel overwhelmed with information and appointments from different places after diagnosis
- Counselling is not universally offered and that respite is essential for their mental wellbeing.
- Younger carers expressed feeling more isolated and less well served
- Female carers said they felt able to discuss their feelings and ask for emotional support. Male carers, however, said they did not
- Carers said they would like honest conversations that helped them form a clearer picture of the journey ahead
- Carers without family support struggled with emotional issues
I won't ask for help until I really need it. I am struggling at times, but I don’t want them to think I can’t cope and take him away from me or put him in a home.
To read our report in full, click the pink 'Download' button below.
Downloads
In response to the feedback collected from both professionals and carers, we created a user-friendly resource called the ‘Dementia Carers Support Map’. It is designed to assist carers and the professionals who advise them find localised support.
To view the support map, click here.
If you would like to share your experience of caring for someone with dementia, click the pink 'Talk to us' button below.
