Dementia Claims '80% Of Care Home Residents'

Eighty per cent of people living in care homes have either dementia or severe memory problems according to a new Alzheimer's Society report published today.

However, while excellent care exists, less than half of these 322,000 people are enjoying a good quality of life.

'Low Expectations' finds evidence of a deep-seated pessimism about life in care homes. Only 41 per cent of relatives surveyed by Alzheimer’s Society reported that their loved ones enjoyed good quality of life. Despite this, three quarters of relatives would recommend their family member’s care home.

The report also reveals the severe image crisis facing the care sector. According to a YouGov public poll commissioned by the charity, 70 per cent of UK adults say they would be fairly or very scared of going into a care home.

In addition, two thirds do not feel the sector is doing enough to tackle abuse in care homes.

The charity argues that public attitudes and scepticism about whether people with dementia enjoy a good quality of life in a care home is leading to a failure to drive up standards of care. Alzheimer’s Society is calling on Government and care homes to work together to lift expectations and to strengthen existing minimum standards to boost quality of life.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer's Society, said: "When you walk into an excellent care home it's full of warmth, activities and interaction. But between these best examples and the worst, which often dominate headlines, there is a forgotten scandal of people with dementia who are failed and left living a life that can only be described as 'OK'.

"Society has such low expectations of care homes that people are settling for average. Throughout our lives we demand the best for ourselves and our children. Why do we expect less for our parents? We need Government and care homes to work together to lift up expectations so people know they have the right to demand the best."

(GK)