Dementia Action Week 2024

Linking to Dementia Action Week 13-19 May, we spoke to Islington GP, Dr Beth Griggs at the Clerkenwell Medical practice about the importance of early diagnosis amongst dementia patients.

Where GPs start

"If a patient has any concerns about their memory, as a GP I will start the exploration process for a possible dementia diagnosis. GPs offer a mini mental assessment and depending on the results, make referrals to the resident’s local memory service. The memory service will do further tests and assessments with a view to making a diagnosis and providing treatment. This can include medication, advice and signposting to relevant support."

Early diagnosis can really help

"GPs want to be as proactive as possible and maximise people’s potential. The ‘anticipatory care’ for dementia is good.  This means that we can help to set up patients, and those who are looking after them, with the tools and support that they need to slow down any decline. There’s a huge amount that can be gained through early intervention."

"Identifying dementia at an early stage, before more intensive care is needed can make things much easier and less challenging for the patient, friends and family. For example, external carers could be put in place at an earlier stage to avoid the patient being more resistant to anything new as the condition progresses. This can be challenging for both the person with dementia and those people who are close to them."

Why it is important to put in place Lasting Powers of Attorney at an early stage

"Depending on how the condition progresses, at later stages, the patient may not have the capacity to make decisions. This could be to let healthcare staff, partners, friends and family members know what they’d like when it comes to managing their care and finances."

"Aspects of care could be the clothes someone wants to wear and when, what they like to eat or whether they’d prefer to be cared for at home or in hospital. Financial wishes could be anything from enabling a trusted person to pay the rent, mortgage or bills or to arrange repairs to the person's home on their behalf."

"This is why it’s important for people who are at early stages of dementia to put in place Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and Advance Care Plans.  This enables someone to appoint family members or other people that they trust to managing their healthcare and finances on their behalf. Without them in place, it can make life very difficult to help the Dementia patient with the required day to day items."

"I am personally always very grateful when a patient has an LPA in place. No one wants to do something against someone’s will and this gives family members and healthcare professionals the confidence that they are making decisions about the person’s care in line with the patient's wishes. There are many decisions that come up related to care. An important decision, for example, might be if the person with dementia would want to move to a residential home for more intensive care at the later stages of their condition."

The impact on family members and friends and available support

"I see how dementia can affect not just the person themselves, but their families too. One person I know had to move out to give some distance between themselves and their partner who had dementia.  Being the recipient of constantly challenging behaviour, it became very difficult to make caring decisions.  It can be incredibly upsetting and I hear of people saying that they grieving for the person they once knew."

"I will often recommend groups and support that can help those people who are in caring roles.  As a carer, with everything that you need to do in life, not just for yourself, but to help a friend, partner or family member, life can be difficult – sometimes emotionally, physically, financially.  It’s important to get the right support in place for everyone’s benefit, whether this is being able to take some time out for yourself, or to make sure that the bills can be paid."

Dementia reviews

"There are different types of dementia and they can affect everyone differently.  Once a diagnosis has been made, I will do a dementia review once a year for all patients to make sure that they have the right support in place."

"In summary, dementia is a challenging condition, but one for which it is very helpful to plan ahead so that dementia patients can continue with their life in the best way possible ie “living well with dementia” itself. With the necessary plans, support and care in place, it can make a challenging journey very much more manageable for all involved. If you are worried about someone’s memory, please do arrange an appointment with your GP."

For details of the support that has been mentioned in this article, please see further details below.

Help putting in place Lasting Powers of Attorney, Wills and Advance Care Plans

Future Matters is a free service to help you plan your emergency and future care wishes, financial and legal affairs. 

They are providing a series of in-person events in May. These include information sessions to help equip Islington residents with the basics of what they need to know when it comes to Lasting Powers of Attorney, putting in place a Will and with Funeral Planning.  

>>For more information about Future Matters service and their May events see the Age UK Islington website

Help getting a dementia diagnosis and support

Islington Memory Service: The Islington Memory & Dementia Navigator Service is a specialist service for Islington residents living with dementia and their carers.

Support for family members and friends looking after someone with dementia

Islington Carers Hub Service: Islington Carers Hub provides support for unpaid carers (18yrs+) living, working or caring for an adult in Islington. 

Dementia-friendly activities

There are dementia-friendly activities that take place in Islington at different community venues including the Alzheimer's Society Singing for the Brain and Cecilia's Cafe activities, also at places like the Islington Ecology Centre, the British Museum. 

Further information

You might find the NHS Dementia Guide helpful.

The Alzheimer's Society is a rich source of information including a Symptoms Checker and a guide to 'The benefits of getting a dementia diagnosis'

Age UK has guides about living with dementia and support.