Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury has pledged his backing for a national campaign to provide suitable and affordable care to people with dementia.
Mr Amesbury attended an Alzheimer’s Society event in the Commons to launch a new report, Dementia – the true cost, as part of the charity’s Fix Dementia Care campaign.
According to the charity, with no drugs to cure or slow down dementia, it’s social care not the NHS that people with dementia rely upon every day.
In the UK, 60% of people using homecare and 70% of people in care homes live with dementia.
The organisation says dementia is among the most complex conditions that the social care system has to support, yet too many people with the condition are struggling to access good quality care at a fair price.
The Alzheimer’s Society has been campaigning to fix dementia care to ensure that everyone with dementia receives good quality care when they need it.
Their new report highlights the far-reaching impact of what Mr Amesbury described as a ‘broken social care system’ on people with dementia.
The report – based on testimony and evidence from people affected by dementia, social care professionals and dementia lead nurses – also outlines urgent areas for government to address in its upcoming green paper on social care reform.
Mr Amesbury said: “I am proud to have united with the charity in this drive to fix dementia care.
“One million people will have dementia by 2021 and it is vital that we are able to deliver high quality social care to everyone that needs it, and at a fair price.”
Sally Copley, director of policy and campaigns at Alzheimer’s Society said: “It’s brilliant to see positive action from people and we’re looking forward to working with Mike Amesbury MP to respond to the public demand for change.
“Our Fix Dementia Care campaign has exposed the poor quality care that people with dementia are currently receiving, and this must end now.”
