An effective dementia drug may only be a decade away
The Health Secretary told me "it's not all doom and gloom" when it comes to research into dementia and there's the prospect of progress.
£50 million pledge for dementia care
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will today pledge £50 million to help hospitals and care homes create more dementia-friendly environments.
Concerns raised over dementia drugs
Doctors are still 'inappropriately over-prescribing' anti-psychotic drugs to dementia patients, campaigners have said.
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Jeremy Hunt: We need early diagnosis for dementia
Jeremy Hunt has told Daybreak that dementia is a "horrible condition" which is "incredibly distressing for families".
"There's a lot of misunderstanding of what's the point of a diagnosis but the fact is if you get a diagnosis in early you can then put in support for the families early on", the Health Secretary added.
"[Medicines] should not be about money, anyone who needs Aricept should be able to get it," he said, "but it is true that it only works for one in three, one in four people."
Alzheimer's Society: Huge progress in past year
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has made his commitment to improve diagnosis rates as part of the Prime Minister's "challenge on dementia", which was launched a year ago.
The Alzheimer's Society, said the past year has seen "huge progress in the fight against dementia."
– Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer's SocietyWe've rallied schoolchildren, bankers, doctors, care workers and more to change the way we treat people with the condition.
But the fight is not nearly over. Less than half of people with dementia have a diagnosis, denying them the support they need to live well.
Today's announcement is a welcome step towards fighting that. It's not just about diagnosis. We need a change in the way society thinks, talks and acts about the disease.
Whether signing up to become a 'Dementia Friend' or joining an event this dementia awareness week, all of us have a part we can play in defeating dementia.
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Jeremy Hunt sets out progress on dementia challenge
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that "too many" people with dementia have not been identified, "unable to get the help they need and deserve."
"Dementia is a serious and growing problem, so this ambitious drive to see a clear majority of people identified and supported is a major step forward."
"I am pleased that NHS England has set a clear direction and sent a message to the NHS that we must do more. I fully support every GP, doctor and health worker who accepts this challenge."
Hunt: One third of dementia sufferers diagnosed
Only one third of dementia sufferers are identified with "shockingly low" diagnosis rates, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said.
Too many sufferers are "left in the dark", he said, as he tasked NHS England with driving up diagnosis rates by 20% by 2015.
Officials hope that two-thirds of sufferers will receive a diagnosis by 2015, compared to around 45% now.
Experts said that a total of 350,000 people have the condition but remain undiagnosed and do not have access to support.
Dementia sufferer's husband praises GPS locator plan
Bernard Stoneham signed up for the Mindme GPS locating device after his wife Gill, who has dementia, got disorientated near their home in Fishbourne, Chichester.
He says the device alerted him when his wife got lost while she was walking the couple's dog and without it "I wouldn’t have known where to look for her."
Mr Stoneham said: "If Gill gets into difficulty, she can speak to the staff through the device. They can then contact me or other nominated persons with her position.
"All I can say is how grateful I am to have had the use of this piece of hi-tech wizardry and what a difference it makes at this difficult time in our lives."
Age UK supports GPS move for dementia patients
Age UK said the smart use of technology should be "encouraged" but ideally with the consent of those involved.
– Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UKMaking smarter use of technology to help people manage health conditions and stay independent should be encouraged.
This can include devices that help older people suffering from dementia to continue to safely go about their daily lives.
However, it is always important to balance up individual rights and ensure technology is only used where it delivers real benefits and, in so far as possible, with the consent of people involved.
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Alzheimer's Society: GPS must not replace good care
The Alzheimer's Society cautiously welcomed Sussex Police's plans to use GPS locating devices to trace dementia patients, but stressed that the tracking system should not replace care.
– Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer's SocietyIn some circumstances and when appropriate consent is given, GPS tracking can enable a person with dementia to remain independent for longer, providing them and their carer with peace of mind.
But we must balance the potential advantages to the individual and the protection of a person's civil liberties. Any tracking system must support and never replace good quality care.
Alzheimer's Society understands the safety of people with dementia is an important issue to address and people with dementia and carers have told us that they welcome technology like this if used in the right way.
Hughes added that the society is working with organisations such as the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Missing Persons Bureau to ensure people with dementia feel secure and included in their communities wherever they live.
Police defend plans to tag dementia patients
Police have defended their decision to buy GPS locating devices to trace dementia patients amid calls from some elder care campaigners for their withdrawal.
Sussex Police have bought six battery-powered locators as part of a bid to save money and time spent on searching for missing dementia patients.
The National Pensioners Convention described the introduction of the devices as "barbaric" and suggested sufferers could be stigmatised and made to feel like criminals.
But Sergeant Suzie Mitchell said: "The scheme is only costing Sussex Police a few hundred pounds but, comparing this to police time, resources, potential risk to the missing person, let alone the anxiety and worry for their family, it is, in my opinion, a few hundred pounds well spent."
Report: Plan to tag dementia sufferers branded 'barbaric'
Elderly care campaigners have branded a police force's decision to buy tracking devices for dementia patients as "barbaric" and "inhumane".
Sussex Police have bought 15 GPS tags in a bid to save money searching for pensioners who often go missing, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Chief Inspector Tanya Jones told the newspaper that as well as being cost-effective, the measure would "reduce anxiety for the family and really reduce the police time spent on this issue".
But Dot Gibson, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said it would equate dementia sufferers with criminals.
"If you've got people in the community who are so bad that they are wandering off at night and are not safe, they should be properly cared for, they shouldn't be tagged," she added.
'No benefit' in dementia diagnosis before symptoms
The Department of Health has responded to warnings over routine dementia screenings.
It said there is "currently no benefit" in trying to diagnose people with dementia before they show symptoms of the condition.
– Department of Health spokeswomanOur preferred approach is for doctors to speak to patients that have symptoms such as memory loss, which could be caused by dementia. If dementia is suspected only then would further investigations take place. This approach is not the same as screening.
We do, nonetheless, encourage an early diagnosis and referral for those who show symptoms.
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