Earlier diagnosis and interventions post diagnosis, will enable people to live more independently for longer.

If you or a family member has symptoms of dementia it is important to be diagnosed as early as possible. Earlier diagnosis allows for early interventions which enables people with dementia to live independently for longer.
Health and social care professionals should act on reports or observations of symptoms to facilitate early diagnosis. Once diagnosed, people with dementia should be offered interventions and not have to wait until their symptoms worsen.

For extra information, evidence and best practice please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

National offerings

Healthwatch

Healthwatch is your health and social care champion. If you use GPs and hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, care homes or other support services, we want to hear about your experiences. As an independent statutory body, we have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to your feedback and improve standards of care. Last year we helped nearly a million people like you to have your say and get the information and advice you need.
Telephone: Call: 03000 683 000 between the hours of 08:30 – 17:30 Monday to Friday
Email: enquiries@healthwatch.co.uk
Weblink: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/your-local-healthwatch/list

Parkinsons UK

We are Parkinson's UK. Powered by people. Funded by you. Improving life for everyone affected by Parkinson’s. Together we'll find a cure.
Telephone: Call on 0808 800 0303
Email: hello@parkinsons.org.uk
Weblink: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/

Living with Dementia Toolkit - downloadable guide

Not everyone has access to the internet so we have produced a Guide to the Living with Dementia Toolkit that can be downloaded and printed off. We encourage peers, family members, and health and social care professionals to make use of this.

The Guide is available in English and in Welsh. It introduces the toolkit and the resources available. For the full experience of the toolkit, you need to look at the website. QR codes link you back to the website at various points. There is a 'How to use QR codes' video lower down the page.

This can be downloaded here: https://livingwithdementiatoolkit.org.uk/home/living-with-dementia-toolkit-downloadable-guide/

Young onset Dementia: Decision-making guide for GPs

The Young Dementia Network has developed a Decision-making guide for GPs, endorsed by the Royal College of GPs, to aid the recognition of the symptoms of dementia in younger people.

Website: https://www.youngdementianetwork.org/resources/guide-gps/

Through the eyes of dementia

Through the Eyes of a Person with Dementia. These videos illustrate everyday scenarios from the point of view of a person living with dementia. They also include a suggested approach that can be more beneficial to the individual and their caregiver. We hope to raise awareness of how a person with dementia feels and see the world. We hope also to build compassion for people with dementia and to eventually find a cure.
The videos are posted on YouTube in different languages
Through the eyes of dementia - 16 videos in different languages - view the full play list
Through the eyes of dementia (extended version) - English subtitles
Through the eyes of dementia (extended version) - English no subtitles
(short film) - English subtitles
(extended version) - Urdu translation
(extended version) - British Sign Language
(extended film) - Gujarati Translation
(extended version) - Hindi translation
Through the eyes of dementia (extended film) - Bengali Translation

Evidence

The National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health has developed 'The Dementia Care Pathway' and this recognised that delays to psychological and pharmacological interventions are associated with an earlier decline in functioning.

Furthermore, the guidance published by the British Psychological Society for the early stages of the dementia care pathway explains that when adequate support is provided, this not only improves quality of life, but also enables people to make choices about their lives, reduces stress for their families, and means that people are less likely to require long term residential or hospital care.

Evidence suggests that post-diagnostic support provides an opportunity for both practitioners and people with dementia and their carers to work together and set realisable goals for care and support in the early stages of the disease. People value individualised information, delivered as part of a complex multi-component programme of support.

Clinical Review, Dementia: timely diagnosis and early intervention: "In the absence of a cure, a professional belief that nothing can be done has contributed to delays in diagnosis. However, increasing evidence showing that dementia may be preventable has led to an international focus on earlier diagnosis and intervention. This review aims to summarise current evidence and best practice in the diagnosis and early intervention in dementia care."

Best Practice Resources

Commissioning person-centred support for people in Trafford living with cognitive impairment (Summary)
The Alzheimer's Society have provided funding for a project entitled 'Facilitating early diagnosis of dementia', to read more about this project please click here.
For more information on the importance of spotting the early signs of dementia, please click here.