When a diagnosis of ‘dementia’ is made, it is essential not to accept this on its own but to insist that a proper diagnosis of the underlying cause is made, as early in the course of the illness as possible, in case the underlying cause is treatable. The family, or others who are in a caring role, can then make sure that they are aware of what is available locally by way of support from both the statutory bodies – the health service and social services — and also from the voluntary sector, such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Society. Where the provision of support is inadequate, if a group of carers gets together they may be able to press for better resources more effectively than individuals on their own.
If someone you care about has an illness causing dementia the path ahead will probably be a long and difficult one. The purpose of this book is to try to help lighten your load while at the same time assisting you to improve the quality of life of the person who is afflicted.
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