Early support key and most cost-effective way to manage dementia

Dementia is a growing issue that will likely overwhelm whānau and the current healthcare system. Affecting one in three people over the age of 85, there are 70,000 people currently living with dementia and a similar number of carers. By 2050 that number is expected to triple and one in two people aged over 90 will have dementia. While there are preventative measures that can influence the progression of the disease, there is no cure.

As a provider of home-based dementia care services and day service facilities for people with dementia, we are acutely aware of challenges…and solutions.

In our experience, providing early support and advice to the person living with dementia, their primary carer and whānau can not only reduce the distress around the diagnosis, but preserve the person living with dementia’s quality of life for longer in their own home.

The stigma of being diagnosed with dementia is real. People understand that it is a diagnosis from which there is no recovery. Those experiencing symptoms are reluctant to seek diagnosis, and when they are diagnosed, are reluctant to share it with family and friends due to their reaction.

It’s important to hold on to the knowledge that the person living with dementia is still the same person, they might not be able to remember some things – but they are not just their diagnosis.

There is a significant delay between the time of diagnosis and an acceptance that services are required. However, we find that changing the kind of support available for the person with dementia and their primary caregiver at an early stage empowers them. They have more information about dementia, know what is likely to happen and are able to put strategies in place to support themselves at different stages of the experience. Expert assistance also supports the person and their carer to come to terms with the overwhelming fear and sense of isolation that can accompany a dementia diagnosis.

When the first symptoms begin to dismantle a person’s quality of life and peace of mind, they experience a huge loss of self in the face of a progressive reduction in their ability to function. Guiding them and their carers on how to manage everyday activities enhances their functioning and safety, while social outings promote the social connections that are so important as we age. The physical and psychological health of people with dementia and carers improves, while maintaining the independence of the person with dementia.

The right support at the right time can make an enormous difference. Ultimately getting support improves the quality of life of the person living with dementia and that of their primary caregivers. This allows the person with dementia to stay in their own home for longer. Most people want to stay at home for as long as they can. Not only does this make the person with dementia happier, it is also more cost-effective than moving people into care as well as a lower burden for the Government in terms of funding.

Many carers continue to shoulder all of the responsibility and do not seek support early enough until a crisis occurs. A crisis, like a fall, can lead to hospitalisation which in turn can result in individuals being admitted into residential care. Providing more support to people living with dementia and their caregivers in the community would delay and reduce the demand that exists for residential care.

Home and community support organisations can play a big part in extending people’s quality of life and managing the growing demand for dementia care in a cost-effective way.