Dementia sufferers need more help

THERE are 3325  people living with dementia in the Rotherham area, but we know that many of them aren’t receiving the help they need. In fact, three quarters of GPs feel their patients with dementia aren’t getting enough support from adult social services.

The result is that unpaid family carers across Rotherham are filling in the gaps.

In our report — Dementia 2015: Paving the Way — we are calling for two things to happen

Firstly, we need your readers to speak to their GP if they are worried about their memory. It might be nothing, but if it is dementia then getting a diagnosis opens the door to support.

Secondly, we need to see more funding going to services for people with a diagnosis. The support in Rotherham is delivered by hardworking professionals and it makes a tangible difference to people’s lives, but we need to go further.

The number of people living with dementia is continuing to rise. It is time for the government to seize the momentum for change, and realise its ambition to make the UK a global leader on dementia care.

Paul Harrison, operations manager, Alzheimer’s Society South Yorkshire & Humber