One in three families of dementia patients left without any support

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Thousands of people caring for loved ones with dementia are left to struggle alone.

A new report by the Royal Voluntary Service sought responses from Scots families as well as others throughout the UK and found more than one in three of those caring for loved ones have received no support.

And the lack of help since diagnosis has left the the family members feeling helpless, isolated and unable to cope.

The report Living Well with Dementia: Better Community Provision For All compiled by the charity and Birmingham University found more than a third were offered no support with 30% saying they felt lonely with no-one to turn to for advice or assistance.

And, shockingly, one in five without support have considered if their life is worth living.

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On the back of these stark figures, the RVS is now calling for urgent action to plug gaps in service provision to enable more people to live well with dementia nationwide.

And the charity believes that alongside increased funding, volunteers could hold the key to creating more vital capacity.

Recent research shows 24.5% of adults had expressed an interest in volunteering to support a dementia group in their community.

Colin Moxey has been attending a weekly RVS Living Well with Dementia group in Hawick with his mother Margaret since 2023.

He said: “The dementia group has been a godsend for both of us. The group offers empathy and compassion for each individual and there’s a happy, upbeat atmosphere as soon as you walk in.

“She’s invigorated by it and finds the activities stimulating. She will speak to my sister and me about who she’s met and what’s she’s done.

“Dementia affects family members as much as it does those living with the disease, this RVS group recognises that. It’s so helpful speaking to others in a similar situation - we compare notes and offer each other reassurance.”

Dr Rachel Fox, national dementia development manager at Royal Voluntary Service said: “Dementia is a growing challenge, with rates expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

“The impacts are far-reaching and with no effective medical treatment yet available, it’s becoming increasingly crucial to offer more support to all those affected.

“Worryingly, our study shows too many are subject to receiving whatever is available in their local area or simply have no support at all.

“We need to put an end to this limited and unequal service provision, often situated miles away from home and which is leaving so many people living with dementia and their caregivers without anyone to turn to.

“Increased funding combined with a mass mobilisation of volunteers would enable services like ours to be rapidly upscaled and expanded for the benefit of more dementia communities across Britain.”

Dr Richard Elsworthy, a research fellow specialising in Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University added: “The need for dementia related services is present more than ever.

“Even if pharmacological treatments effective in reducing the underlying causes of dementia become available, it’s likely a combination of medical and non- medical interventions will be required to maximise outcomes for individuals with dementia.

“Lifestyle management and engagement in psychosocial activity is key and support groups are highly beneficial to people with dementia and their caregivers.

“We now need to develop our understanding of how to get maximum benefits from these sessions and mitigate against any circumstances restricting access.”

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