The Big Question

Angie Lawrence – Single mother
Health and social care need to work together to highlight
prevention issues as the population ages. Attention to dietary
intake, cardiovascular fitness and blood pressure levels, and
intellectual stimulation will reduce the likelihood of dementia
later. It will also reduce the care-giving burden in human and
financial terms. 

Len Smith – Gypsy activist
There is anecdotal evidence about institutional or
supported home care and how effective these are. It would seem that
this needs to be hardened up with solid research. The results,
combined with statistical analysis, should form a basis for future
projections. Future drugs are also likely to help as dementia
levels rise.

Jean Stogdon – Grandparents Plus
Families will need enormous back-up if we are to avoid
dumping the rising number of people with Alzheimer’s in
institutional care. There must be proper assessments of what
families need to cope with the enormous task they face. If the
family does not want to be responsible – or there is no family –
the client must be given an advocate. 

Karen Shook – Disability equality adviser
There are too few specialist units. People end up in the
corner of an elderly care ward while the more vocal patients get
the attention. It’s much cheaper than providing intensive support
to keep people in their own homes. More specialist training, more
support to families and more specialist care units are needed.