75% of people in the North East fear living in a care home, according to an Alzheimer's Socierty poll. But Angela Drake from County Durham isn't one of them. She says she had excellent support from Bowburn Care Centre before her father passed away.
Inspector Morse and Lewis actor Kevin Whately and Karen Weech spoke to Daybreak about their struggle to find a care home for their mothers, who both had Alzheimer's.
Whately said too many people begin looking for a care home when they are in crisis and then become "stuck" looking at places that "won't do":
A charity is calling on ministers and the care sector to work together to boost care standards.
They are asking for an improvement on public understanding about quality of care dementia sufferers are offered.
– Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer's SocietySociety has such low expectations of care homes that people are settling for average. Throughout our lives we demand the best for ourselves and our children. Why do we expect less for our parents? We need Government and care homes to work together to lift up expectations so people know they have the right to demand the best.
A report has warned that people have such low expectations of care homes that they "settle for average".
According to the Alzheimer's Society, out of 1,000 relatives and carers surveyed:
A separate poll of 2,000 UK adults found:
Fewer than half of the people suffering from dementia, who currently live in care homes, enjoy a good quality of life, a charity has warned.
The report from the Alzheimer's Society also found that record numbers of people in care homes have the condition.
It said 80 per cent of people in residential care homes have either memory loss or dementia.
Previous estimates put the number of people with the condition at just over 60 per cent.
The Alzheimer's Society is encouraging people to learn about dementia in order to make those suffering from the disease feel included and understood.
– Caroline Burden Area Manager for Alzheimer's Society in North East and Cumbria"People with dementia want to remain independent and engaged in their communities by continuing to socialise with their friends and family and be as active as possible. As the brain gradually shuts down, people with dementia sometimes need a helping hand to go about their daily lives and feel included in their local community which is why the Dementia Friends initiative is of such importance and will help to improve the quality of life for someone living with dementia."
Alzheimer's Society research shows that 41% of people in the North East feel they have a role to play to support people with dementia, but only 48% feel they have a good understanding of the disease.
'Dementia Friends' is an initiative to help a million people understand how to speak sensitively to a person suffering from dementia. The project helps people to make those with dementia feel included and understood.
The Alzheimer's Society is trying to recruit a million 'Dementia Friends'. They want people to go and visit those suffering from the disease. Volunteers can register on the Alzheimer's Society website.
Newcastle United striker Peter Lovenkrands has raised more than 20 thousands pounds for the Alzheimer's Society through an online auction. The Danish forward lost his father Bent, to the illness two years ago.
He's been offering items from his Magpies' teammates via a fundraising page on the website JustGiving. They included Tim Kruhl's signed goal keeper gloves and a match worn number nine shirt from Papiss Cisse.
Newcastle United star Peter Lovenkrands wants to raise as much money and awareness as possible for Alzheimers after the death of his father
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