In news welcomed by The Good Care Group, David Cameron has announced that the government will more than double public spending on research into dementia. The government’s commitment comes after months of increasingly vociferous calls from across society for more concerted action on the disease. Annual spending on research, which in 2010 totalled £26.6m, will be increased to £66m by 2015 in an attempt to prevent the disease from reaching crisis proportions.
Experts claim that dementia effects up to 800,000 people in the UK, but many remain undiagnosed. Coupled with a population that is increasingly aging, the condition has the potential to overwhelm the National Health Service unless drastic action is taken. In his speech, the Prime Minister claimed that already the costs of dementia care were higher than heart disease, strokes and cancer. He went on to declare the situation was a ‘national crisis’ that had been neglected by the establishment for far too long.
The Prime Minister likened the struggle against dementia to that of cancer in the 1970s and HIV in the 1980s and 1990s. He claimed a national effort on a similar scale was required with dementia and stated his determination to turn Britain into a world leader in dementia care and research.
The Good Care Group, which has always advocated greater resources for dementia research and care, and has contributed to this consultation. Our experience in applying our innovative and award winning techniques show that, with the right care, people living with dementia can feel more in control of their lives, remain connected with their families and continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible. This ultimately leads to a significantly enhanced quality of life.
Fiona Lowry, CEO comments: At The Good Care Group we are passionate about providing high quality dementia care we believe every elderly individual should be entitled to, and supporting families who are faced with this very cruel condition. We are delighted that that the UK Government has now recognised the crisis we face in the UK in understanding, diagnosing and treating this condition which will affect so many and significantly impact our society in the future.