The dementia pandemic is coming and social care isn’t ready

John Ramsay, founder and MD of Social-Ability, warns that the UK is sleepwalking into a dementia crisis, only accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the social care sector struggles to keep up with demand, 50,000 people living with severe dementia are expected to be denied a bed by 2030. 

Easing the pressure on social care will require urgent and radical changes to the way we support those living with dementia, with a focus on overcoming the issues that put strain on resources, overburden our hard-working carers, and intensify the symptoms of dementia.

Spotting the early signs of dementia

As our NHS worked tirelessly to deal with the overwhelming number of Covid-19 cases, this impacted the resources available to support people experiencing other conditions through the pandemic, such as dementia.

The national dementia diagnosis rate has declined steadily since February 2020, falling below the national target of 66.7%. NHS data suggests that as many as 50,000, or one in 10 dementia diagnoses may have been missed during lockdown, leaving many in the dark and delaying access to treatments that can help to slow the progress of dementia.

Yet, even prior to the pandemic, research has shown that many early dementia cases go undiagnosed as doctors fail to spot tell-tell signs of the condition. Dementia is often typecast as a memory loss disease, but declining cognitive function can present itself in various ways: reduced comprehension, learning capacity, language, judgement, and more.

We urgently need to change thinking around what dementia looks like in order to improve how we recognise and diagnose it, particularly in its early stages. With treatments often most effective at slowing the effects of dementia when applied early, it’s important that the condition is spotted before symptoms become severe.

A thought for our carers

Along with a backlog of undiagnosed cases, scientists have warned that the degenerative effect of Covid-19 on the brain could intensify the global dementia pandemic. By the end of the decade, scientists have predicted that dementia cases could reach 80 million, up more than 45% on an estimated 55 million living with dementia today.

This impending pandemic will only increase pressure on a social care sector that is already under significant strain. Research carried out prior to the pandemic found that a third of UK care home workers experienced high levels of burnout, with 17.1% having suffered from emotional exhaustion, 2.4% from depersonalisation, and 14.8% feelings of low personal accomplishment.

Evidently, the care sector must do more to protect our vitally important care staff and ensure they feel valued in the workplace. With the International Week of Happiness at Work on the horizon, the sector should seize the opportunity to reassess how it supports the wellbeing of its most valuable assets.

Here, technology will play an important role, with 91% of care home workers stating technology has reduced their workload in the past year. Appropriate investment could alleviate the pressure on our overburdened care workers and ensure they are in the right state of mind to take care of vulnerable residents.

Alleviating symptom-inducing loneliness

With technology to automate admin tasks, manage rotas, and keep track of schedules, staff will have more time to focus on alleviating a major symptom of dementia patients in the care home environment: loneliness.

Some 18 months of lockdowns and social distancing measures have left people living with dementia struggling with their mental health. According to Alzheimer’s Society, 56% have reported feeling ‘completely isolated’ during the pandemic. Although, Covid-19 isn’t entirely to blame. In fact, dementia and loneliness often go hand in hand, with research showing that the prevalence of severe loneliness in care home settings is at least double that of standard populations.

However, we should not simply accept loneliness as a symptom. Failing to address loneliness can accelerate cognitive decline among residents, causing further suffering and putting additional strain on resources and staff.

As the pandemic eases, we must find a way to re-establish bonds between residents and family members, staff, and others within the care home community. A person-centric approach, where residents are encouraged to come together and take part in games and activities, can help to stave off feelings of isolation and slow the progress of the disease. A person-centric approach that promotes happiness, whereby residents are encouraged to come together and take part in interactive games and activities, can help to stave off feelings of isolation.

Ending over-reliance on medications

Too often, dementia patients are prescribed a concoction of anti-psychotic medications – described by charities as a ‘chemical cosh’ – in order to alleviate symptoms. On average, care home residents are prescribed seven daily medicines, and in many cases these drugs can have an adverse effect. In fact, a recent study found that care home residents taking multiple medications – particularly those that act on the brain – were at increased risk of suffering a fall, for instance.

This over-reliance on medication costs the NHS an estimated £250m annually, much of which would be better spent elsewhere. Instead, we should be investing in long-term therapeutic treatments which prioritise sensory stimulation, relaxation, and reminiscence.

Social-Ability’s Happiness Programme, for instance, focuses on supporting dementia patients through a combination of interactive light technology and staff training. Interactive games played on a magic table light projector help to keep residents physically and cognitively active, encourage social interaction, and raise spirits among residents and staff. The programme has helped to change the lives of many, reducing their reliance on anti-psychotic drugs, lowering their risk of falls, and helping them to lead happier, healthier lives.

The catalyst for positive change in social care

Covid-19 has exacerbated issues that were already present in our care homes, but it has also provided insight into the future if the sector fails to change: widespread burnout among overburdened staff, overreliance on money-draining medications, and lonely residents with time and resources spread too thin.

However, Covid-19’s legacy in the sector doesn’t have to be negative. Rather, we should use this as an opportunity to pursue positive change in the industry, correct these long-term issues, and create a better environment for residents and staff for good.

Photo Credit – Andreea Popa