Category Archives: dementia

Thousands of dementia sufferers rarely see loved ones

April 9, 2013   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia, family

Tens of thousands of elderly people with dementia see friends or family just once a week according to a landmark report warning of an “epidemic of loneliness” among Britain’s most vulnerable.

 

One third of dementia sufferers said they had lost friends following a diagnosis

By , Health Correspondent

8:00AM BST 09 Apr 2013

The study by the Alzheimer’s Society says that 250,000 people – almost one third of those suffering from dementia – are now living alone in their own homes.

Of those, 29 per cent only see friends or family once a week, while 23 per cent can only expect one weekly phone call.

Jeremy Hughes, the charity’s chief executive said: “This report reveals the stark truth that too many people with dementia, especially the thousands who live alone, are truly isolated.

“We need to put a stop to this epidemic of loneliness, not only to improve quality of life but also to save thousands from reaching crisis point and being admitted to hospital unnecessarily or care homes early.”

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Banks offered new guidance on dealing with family carers

April 3, 2013   Cancer, Carers, dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Older care

Banks offered new guidance on dealing with carers

  • By: Joanna Faith
  • 03 Apr 2013
  • All banks and building societies in the UK have today received new guidance to support carers and relatives who manage accounts on behalf of other people.
care-home-web

The framework – and the complementary consumer guide which accompanies it – aims to help these people have a better and more consistent experience, reducing their burden at what can be a very difficult time.

Arranging to run an account on behalf of a loved one is a challenge faced by thousands of people every year. Since 2007, 536,941 Lasting Powers of Attorney have been registered in the UK to manage property and affairs, which includes the management of financial matters. In 2012 there were around 800,000 people in the UK suffering from dementia with this number forecast to rise to more than a million by 2021.

The guidance framework has been jointly developed by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), the British Bankers Association (BBA) and the Building Societies Association (BSA), working in collaboration with the Law Society, Alzheimer’s Society, Solicitors for the Elderly and Age UK.

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Tracking device for sufferers with dementia will help carers

April 2, 2013   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia

Sat nan! Dementia sufferer Anne gets tracking device to stop her getting lost

 

 

Lifesaver … Joanne Taylor shows how the Buddi tracking system works online
Cavendish Press
By BELLA BATTLE
Published: 4 hrs ago

A DEMENTIA-suffering great gran has been fitted with a tracking device dubbed a “sat nan” because she gets lost so often while out walking.

Anne Grimshaw, 78, has become one of the first people in the UK to be equipped with the technology so her family can find her when she gets lost.

The device – known as “Buddi” – is attached to Anne’s keys and shows her last known position on an online map daughter Joanne has access to.

Anne disappears up to FIVE TIMES A DAY and has been known to walk between 150 and 200 miles a week.

She once unwittingly found herself on the hard shoulder of the motorway and a police search helicopter has also been needed to track her down.

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