Health is One has launched Britain’s first dementia pathways service with rapid diagnosis and continuous support for families and carers.
Health is One has launched Britain’s first dementia pathways service from its headquarters in Uddingston, near Glasgow.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization pointed out that dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally and costs economies globally £960 billion in 2019.
What the mental health organisation says sets its private service apart is rapid diagnosis, as well as continuous support up to and beyond diagnosis, including wraparound support for families and carers.
“Opening our first-ever Brain Health service in Scotland marks the start of a phased rollout across the UK. For many years, we have provided psychological support to individuals and their families impacted by dementia and are aware of the personal cost to carers every day,” said chief executive Kevin McGeever.
“That’s why we are bridging the gap between medical diagnosis and long-term family wellbeing, covering practical arrangements, legal decisions, financial management and family dynamics,” he continued.
Challenge of dementia
Although one in three of us is likely to develop dementia – a figure that is probably accurate and rising with age – Laurence Geller, Britain’s largest philanthropic supporter of dementia care research, told Healthcare Today in July that just 20-25% of the funding that goes into cancer research is allocated to dementia.
“Currently, there are more than 90,000 people in Scotland living with dementia, and this figure is set to rise considerably over the next twenty years,” said June Andrews, lead for Brain Health and Dementia Pathways at Health is One.
“Often, people are waiting more than two years for a diagnosis, risking accelerated decline which can result in costly care home fees and pressure on family members to give up work,” she added.
The challenge of dementia is being recognised by the government. Earlier this year, it backed four new research projects with £6.7 million funding to focus on developing technologies to help dementia patients manage memory loss, communication difficulties, and cope better with everyday tasks.
