Alzheimer Scotland response to Dementia 2010 report

Response to Alzheimer’s Research Trust report: Dementia 2010

Dementia 2010, the latest report from the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, estimates that dementia currently costs in the region of £23 billion to the UK. However, much of this cost is hidden, born by countless unpaid carers supporting people with dementia at home. The number of people with dementia in the UK is estimated to be 821,884, representing 1.3% of the UK population: raising the number of people in Scotland with the illness to 73,000.

Alzheimer Scotland response:

We greatly support this work by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust. The Dementia 2010 report makes for difficult but unsurprising reading. Unpaid carers provide an incredible amount of support, both to people with dementia and to the economy, which is hugely to their credit. Indeed, given that they save the state some £12 billion per year, it is impossible to see how we would cope without the help that they provide. That is why it is vital that we provide appropriate and flexible support to those carers, and future carers, from the point of diagnosis onwards.

Alzheimer Scotland believes that no-one should feel that they have to cope with dementia on their own. We have called upon the Scottish Government to provide a Change Fund of £15 million per year over the next 5 years, to assist local authorities and NHS boards to unlock and redirect resources into early intervention and personalised support for people with dementia and their carers. This includes a strategic commitment to delivering specialist support for people with dementia and their carers, including home care, overnight care at home, flexible and regular short-breaks. Regard for the health and well being of carers is vital. People with dementia and their carers must be given greater control over the support that they receive.

- Henry Simmons, Chief Executive, Alzheimer Scotland