Support ‘outside’ family web
Family is important, but when it comes to loved ones living with dementia, urgent ‘outside support’ is needed after the initial diagnosis. A study explores how healthcare professionals can better understand the challenges that dementia patients and their carers face around the time of diagnosis.
Family is important, but when it comes to loved ones living with dementia, urgent ‘outside support’ is needed after the initial diagnosis.
A study led by researchers from the UK’s University of Hertfordshire explores how healthcare professionals can better understand the challenges that dementia patients and their carers face around the time of diagnosis, as well identifying their immediate and on-going support needs.
Describing the needs of people with dementia and their carers as “complex”, Dr Frances Bunn, senior research fellow in evidence-based practice at the University of Hertfordshire, said diagnosing and supporting this group could be particularly challenging.
“But it is clear from our analysis that support needs to be on-going, flexible, and sensitive to their needs,” Dr Bunn added.
The researchers reviewed the experience, beliefs, feelings and attitudes of patients and their carers around dementia diagnosis. Focusing on those patients who lived and were cared for within the community, the study also tried to understand barriers to early diagnosis and what type of support is useful for newly diagnosed patients.
Despite improvements in the speed of diagnosis, unawareness or denial of the signs and symptoms of dementia by the patients and people close to them can still delay diagnosis.
