The Alzheimer’s Society’s scheme, entitled ‘This is me’ was developed to improve standards of dementia care in hospitals.  Patients or carers fill in a leaflet describing themselves and their individual needs, which is then passed to healthcare staff.  As well as promoting person-centred care, the initiative also aims to help care workers to cope better with challenging behaviour from patients.  It is hoped that ‘This is me’  will lead to a more consistent quality of dementia care, and help reverse a current trend of patients leaving hospital in a poorer condition than when they were admitted – both findings from recent Alzheimer’s Society reports.

The charity Alzheimer’s Society is demanding that all political parties need to make dementia care a priority when preparing their manifestos for the forthcoming election. It has published damning figures from new research, which show that less than a quarter of dementia sufferers feel that their needs are being adequately met, whilst even fewer consider that staff providing care have received enough training. Access to respite breaks for was also found to be lacking, with just 12% of carers able to take regular breaks. In other research, the Society has found that MPs are keen to improve the situation, with 81% of politicians surveyed saying that a long-term solution to social care funding needs to be higher up the political agenda. Another 67% believe that the current system of charging for personal care – which is free in Scotland – is unfair on people that suffer from dementia. The charity’s chief executive Neil Hunt comments: ‘It is unacceptable for a care service to be failing such a vulnerable group to such a staggering degree…It has been reassuring to hear the political parties talking about adult social care this year but now with an election imminent we need more detail…We now need to hear guarantees on how each of the parties would provide a fair, transparent and high quality social care system.’ The Society is making three key demands to MPs in the run-up to the election, on behalf of the UK’s 700,000 dementia sufferers:

• Details of how they will provide a high quality social care service, and how this will meet the needs of people with dementia and their carers.

Confirmation that the non means-tested benefit Attendance Allowance, which provides vital extra income for thousands of people, will not be abolished.
Prioritisation and funding of dementia research, which is currently grossly underfunded compared to research into other conditions.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
23:30

An Alzheimer’s Society survey of 1,300 carers and 1,00 nurses has found that more than 50% of dementia patients that are admitted to hospital suffering from complaints such as chest infections and broken hips are staying there much longer than other patients. The prolonged hospital stays combined with varying standards of care are resulting in many dementia patients ending up in a worse state of health on discharge than when they were admitted. The Society is calling for clinical leadership, nurse training and community support services to be improved so that these patients can be discharged a week earlier – a move that it says will save the NHS millions of pounds. Chief executive Neil Hunt comments: ‘It is shocking that people with dementia are occupying up to a quarter of hospital beds yet there are scandalous variations in the quality of dementia care in hospitals.’ Care minister Phil Hope responded by stating that the recently-launched national dementia strategy will work to improve the situation, with extra training and resources becoming available for both carers and nursing staff. He added that a national clinical director for dementia will shortly be appointed to lead the strategy and its implementation.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
09:54

Bupa and the Alzheimer’s Society have launched a joint initiative across Bupa’s 130 care homes to promote good standards of care for dementia patients. Each care home will appoint a member of staff as a ‘Dementia Champion’ who will be responsible for ensuring that all staff in the home that care for residents with dementia receive specialist training and support. The scheme has been successfully trialled in six Bupa homes and will now be rolled out to the remaining 124. A Bupa spokesperson commented that: ‘We believe that specialist training of care home staff is a key factor in ensuring our residents enjoy the highest possible quality of life.’ Neil Hunt of the Alzheimer’s Society went on to describe how the Dementia Champions’ role will go much further than just training staff: ‘It is not enough simply to tick a box and say someone has been trained. The drive to improve care needs to be ongoing and the whole culture of the workplace needs to change. That’s what Bupa and Alzheimer’s Society are seeking to achieve with this programme.’

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
11:10

Special stands for ‘Specialised early care for Alzheimer’s’ and is a new method of caring for people with dementia. It was developed by Penny Wark in the mid 1980s when her mother began to show signs of dementia and Penny closely observed her actions and behaviours. Special involves relating to dementia sufferers through their feelings and long-term memory and by trying to keep them feeling contented rather than presenting them with new facts which they cannot store and will not remember. Central to the approach is not asking questions or contradicting the patient and learning to cope with their repetitiveness. Doing this helps the patient to feel more normal, and therefore content, whilst doing the opposite tends to trigger anxiety, frustration and confusion. In a Times Online article Penny explains: ‘They (dementia patients) haven’t lost their ability to reason, they’ve lost the information that other people around them are using to reason with. But they do have some substitute stuff in their memory. My mother could recall stacks of stuff and when she did that she was confident. She would make an intelligent match between what she saw and old facts. Sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, she would think she was at an airport and ask if our flight had been called. If I said, “Not yet”, she was happy. But by challenging her, my father could reduce her very easily to a dithering wreck.’ Special concentrates on relating the patient’s long-term stored information, which makes them feel comfortable and in control, to what is happening now, even if the actual situation isn’t what is happening – as in the airport / doctor’s waiting room scenario that Penny describes. Although some people consider that encouraging sufferers to live in a ‘fantasy world’ is not ethical, Penny argues that it is also unethical to brutally present them with facts they cannot understand and which will cause distress. Special has been endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing and the Alzheimer’s Society and carers using the method have reported good results for the patient and reduced need for antipsychotic drugs. There is also less stress for the carers themselves. To read more, visit the Times website.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
14:01

The Alzheimer’s Society in Cumbria has been chosen as one of 22 organisations that will trial new dementia services across the UK. Trained dementia advisers will offer advice and improved access to sources of information and support to patients, their carers and families throughout Cumbria. Other kinds of new support networks will be trialled by an additional 18 organisations nationwide. The work is part of the National Dementia Strategy’s long-term plans to improve services for dementia sufferers and to ensure that adequate services are put in place to deal with the demands of the UK’s ageing population. The Cumbrian branch of the Alzheimer’s Society welcomes its involvement in the new services, describing it as ‘…the beginning of an exciting period of transformation in dementia care as we begin to see the promises of the National Dementia Strategy put in action.’ Care services minister Phil Hope added: ‘This is the beginning of real change. We know that people with dementia and their families are under huge strain. Dementia advisors will be there for them when they need help, from diagnosis onwards.’

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
13:08

Health secretary Andy Burnham gave the background to the Government’s Green Paper on adult social care reform, published on 14 July 2009, in an interview with GMTV that morning. ‘We have an ageing society and it is a cruel lottery – some people end up paying lots of money in their later years to look after parents and some 50% of us end up paying more than £25,000 every year. A very small number, particularly those who develop, say, something like Alzheimer’s, can pay up towards £200,000 over their lifetimes.’ Mr Burnham went on to describe how, using the Green Paper as a starting point, he intends to overhaul the current system of adult social care so that it is fairer for everyone whilst providing a higher standard of care. Referring to the estimated 45,000 people per year that have to sell their homes to pay for care, he commented: ‘If we can get to a system that is fair and universal, that doesn’t put pressure on people to do that [i.e. sell their houses], then that is a huge step forward.’ Although he admitted that Labour ‘should have grasped the nettle’ of social care funding earlier, Mr Burnham announced that the Government has increased funding by £40 million, much of which will be paid out in the form of direct payments and personal care budgets that allow service users greater control over the type and location of their care. You can read the Green Paper and find out how to join in the consultation process at the Care & Support website. You can also read a summary of its contents on the Cheselden website as well as our official reaction to the Paper.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
12:32

Bristol councils, PCTs, the South West SHA and the Alzheimer’s Society have joined forces to dispel the taboos surrounding dementia and to work to improve dementia services in the south west of England. It is estimated that around 6,000 people in Bristol suffer from dementia and this figure is expected to increase by 33% over the next 20 years. However, at present only a third of sufferers are ever officially diagnosed and many others are unaware what support services are available and how to contact them. Key to the campaign is the local implementation of the National Dementia Strategy, which was launched earlier in 2009. The Strategy focuses on raising awareness of dementia and related issues, enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment and improving the standards of care provided to patients. One initiative that has already been launched in Bristol is the provision of a dementia support officer that GPs in the area can call on for specialist advice and help with patients. You can find out more about the campaign at the Bristol Evening Post website.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
13:52

A new test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease has been developed that the patient can self-administer without needing a medical professional to be present. The ‘Test Your Memory’ (TYM) questionnaire, which was trialled with around 700 volunteers at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, is said to be as accurate as the tests that are currently used by doctors. The 540 healthy volunteers were found to score an average of 47 out of 50 on the test, whilst the other 139 volunteers – who had dementia – scored an average of 33 out of 50. Researchers found that the pattern of results is reflected in the existing standard tests for dementia. Lead researcher Dr Jeremy Brown explains why his team developed the TYM: ‘Many cognitive tests are available but none meets the three critical requirements for widespread use by a non-specialist – that is, take minimal operator time to administer, test a reasonable range of cognitive functions, and are sensitive to mild Alzheimer’s disease. We designed the TYM to fulfil these requirements.’

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
13:49

TV presenter Angela Rippon, an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, has spoken at a carers’ conference in Norfolk about the ‘bureaucratic nightmare’ faced by people caring for a relative who has dementia. She drew on her personal experience of caring for her mother Edna when talking about the ‘unchartered territory’ faced by carers. Ms Rippon described the struggle to obtain a diagnosis for the patient, the lack of respite care that would help carers to cope and the inaccessibility of the support services that do exist to help carers. She told the conference, organised by the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Trust, that she has received many letters from struggling carers, commenting: ‘The word that came up over and over again was guilt – guilt at feeling helpless in the face of impenetrable bureaucracy, and being unable to deliver the quality and quantity of care they think their loved ones are entitled to, guilt especially at having to put their loved one into a home and feeling somehow they have abandoned them.’

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
12:58

A study has shown that a rogue version of the tau protein, which is thought to cause Alzheimer’s Disease, can spread throughout the brain and infect healthy tissue. The study showed that when the rogue tau protein was injected into the brains of healthy mice, this caused protein tangles to form which are linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. These then spread to nearby healthy sections of the brain. It is thought that tau is linked with the same kind of proteins that cause vCJD – although scientists were quick to point out that this link does not mean that brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s are infectious in the same way as mad cow disease and human CJD. The tau protein is present in all nerve cells and is essential to their correct functioning, but a rogue form can cause the protein tangles that are a major cause of Alzheimer’s. The study’s leaders are hopeful that the results have opened new avenues in dementia research. Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, comments: ‘This greater understanding of how tangles spread in Alzheimer’s may lead to new ways of stopping them and defeating the disease.’

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
12:26

The charity Alzheimer Scotland has asked for more to be done to protect the human rights of dementia patients living in care homes, after a report published by two watchdogs presented some worrying findings. The report, carried out by the Care Commission and the Mental Welfare Commission, was based on research conducted at 30 care homes with over 1,300 residents being interviewed. Amongst the issues raised in the report are:

• Drugs to control patients’ behaviour being illegally hidden in their food
• 50% of residents never going outside the care home
• Lack of regular health checks and review of medication
• Inadequate details included on residents’ personal plans, such as missing life histories or no record or the individual’s likes and dislikes.

Alzheimer Scotland responded angrily to the report’s findings, with chief executive Harry Simmons commenting: ‘People with dementia must be afforded dignity, respect and liberty within the care home setting…These problems should not be tolerated and cannot be allowed to continue.’ The Scottish Government is to use the report to help create a new national dementia strategy for the country, work on which is already underway. The report, entitled ‘Remember I’m still me’, can be downloaded from the Care Commission’s website.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
11:43

The Telegraph reports on a study undertaken between 1991 and 2006 at the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Results showed that the rate of cognitive decline amongst patients with Alzheimer’s tripled for those that had experienced delirium just before or at the onset of developing dementia. Although the two conditions are unrelated, delirium is common amongst elderly patients that are in hospital and can be caused by infection, injury or surgery. Unlike dementia, delirium is preventable and it is hoped that the newly-discovered link between the conditions could lead to new treatments to prevent and even cure Alzheimer’s. In the meantime, treatments that stop delirium could be used to help slow the progression of dementia. And treating patients at home rather than in hospital should be considered as this would reduce the stress and disorientation that triggers delirium. Rebecca Wood of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust comments on the study: ‘This research provides crucial insight into the serious impact of delirium on people with Alzheimer’s. The findings should inspire new care techniques that help protect patients from rapid deterioration by identifying delirium earlier and treating it swiftly.’

In related news, US scientists report that they have successfully used new drugs to reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on mice. The experimental medicines, HDAC inhibitors, are already used to treat certain cancers and are also being tested for their ability to treat Huntingdon’s disease as well as Alzheimer’s. HDAC inhibitors work by improving the function of a gene that helps to form the brain’s memory. The tests on mice found that long-term memory was restored and that capacity to learn new tasks was increased. You can read the full story at the BBC News website.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
09:31

The Alzheimer’s Society is exploring the quality of care that people receive for their dementia when they are admitted to hospital and the challenges that health care professionals face. They are asking people to share their experiences by filling out a questionnaire by the end of May 2009. They would like to hear from people with dementia and carers, nursing staff and nurse managers or ward managers. All information will be treated confidentially and you do not have to give your name. Your views will be used to help ensure that people with dementia in a general hospital setting receive good quality care appropriate for both their physical and mental health needs and that professionals receive better training and support. The survey results will be published later in the year.

This questionnaire is particularly for:

• People who have current or recent experience (in the last two to three years) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Experiences on a general ward rather than accident and emergency, on an intensive care unit or with outpatients.

The questionnaire can be downloaded from the Alzheimer’s Society’s website and returned to Louise Lakey by e-mail at louise.lakey@alzheimers.org.uk or by posting it to:

Louise Lakey

Devon House

58 St Katharine’s Way

London

E1W 1JX.

Alternatively, a copy of the questionnaire and a pre-paid envelope for returning it can be requested from Louise on 020 7423 3581 or at louise.lakey@alzheimers.org.uk.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
12:01

The Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Worried about your memory?’ campaign has resulted in a large increase in people visiting their GPs to talk about memory problems. Materials encouraging people to talk to their doctor if they were concerned about their memory were distributed to 10,700 GP surgeries across England last year A survey carried out by the Society has shown that up to 50% of people who requested the ‘Worried about your memory?’ booklet after seeing the materials then booked an appointment with their GP. 20% of these subsequently received a diagnosis. And one in seven GPs has reported an increase in the number of people asking for consultations about memory issues. The survey also highlighted GPs’ concerns around dementia, with almost a quarter stating that they had not received enough training on diagnosing and treating dementia whilst 55% lacked information about local dementia support services.

In related news, the Alzheimer’s Society has just launched a new guide which provides essential advice on how to commission services for people with dementia and their carers. The guide has been designed in line with the Government’s National Dementia Strategy, unveiled earlier this year, and is aimed at health and social services commissioners. You can read more and download the guide itself from the Alzheimer’s Society website.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
17:28

Research has shown that heightened activity in the part of the brain that deals with memory can indicate an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease developing in later life. This increased activity in the hippocampus has been linked with the presence of a rogue gene, ApoE4, which is already known to indicate a risk that the carrier will develop the disease. A new study has compared the brain activity of healthy volunteers aged between 20 and 35, finding that those who carried ApoE4 showed raised activity in the hippocampus, even while resting. The researchers think that the heightened activity in the hippocampus in early life could lead to it becoming worn out decades later – potentially triggering the onset of dementia. The scientists, based at Oxford University and Imperial College, London, hope that their discovery will enable a simple test to be created that will identify at a young age those people who are likely to develop dementia. Patients can then be treated early and given lifestyle advice to help delay the disease’s progress. Rebecca Wood of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust hails the development as ‘significant’ whilst pointing out that ‘…those with the ApoE4 genetic variant – while at a statistically higher risk of developing the disease than others – will still not develop Alzheimer’s in most cases.’

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
16:55

A study undertaken by the Alzheimer’s Disease Center at the University of Birmingham, Alabama, has concluded that even the early stages of dementia can affect a sufferer’s ability to deal with their finances. The study’s findings were published in January 2009 in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. Daniel Marson, one of the study’s directors, explains that even mild cognitive impairment can make it difficult to understand and cope with the complex nature of investments and other financial transactions. This then becomes worse over time: ‘As patients progress to mild and moderate Alzheimer’s, cognitive decline accelerates and impairments in financial skills become substantial and widespread,’ says Dr Marson. It is therefore recommended that anyone diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment should put their finances and estate in order while they are still able, for example, by nominating a relative or carer to hold Enduring Power of Attorney over their affairs.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
16:42

The Telegraph reports on work underway at Aston University in Birmingham, where scientists have ‘reprogrammed’ cells taken from a cancerous tumour to make them identical to cells in the human nervous system. It is hoped that the research, funded by the Humane Research Trust, will lead to a greater understanding of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, enabling the development of more effective treatments. Professor Michael Coleman who is leading the research describes the reprogrammed cells as an ‘artificial brain capable of processing thought at the most basic level.’ Neil Hunt, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Society comments that that it is still early days for the study, but ‘…in the future this interesting research could lead to a useful tool for investigating dementia.’

The Telegraph also reports on the new ‘SenseCam’ that has been developed to help dementia sufferers. The device is worn around the neck and takes a photograph every 30 seconds. These are later played back at high speed with the aim of stimulating the patient’s memory through the recreation of their thoughts and feelings as well as visual images. Used over a period of time, the SenseCam has produced significant improvements in the memory of dementia sufferers with acute amnesia. A number of trials are currently being held around the world, after which it is expected that the SenseCam will be commercially available. For the full report, visit the Telegraph’s website.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
18:07

The Press Association reports that new medication that may stop or slow down the progress of Alzheimer’s disease could be on the market in around five years. About a dozen individual medicines are currently being trialled and results can be expected in one to three years time. 80 more drugs are also in the first stages of testing. The news was announced at the annual conference of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, where scientists were told that the new drugs target the key biological pathways that cause Alzheimer’s disease to progress. This is a major advance on current treatments, which treat the condition’s symptoms but cannot halt its progress.

But conference attendees were warned that there is no guarantee of success – and if the new drugs fail to work as expected, the nation faces an ‘unmitigated disaster’. The number of dementia sufferers in the UK continues to grow rapidly and could double to 1.4 million by 2040, with a potential cost to the UK economy of £50 billion per year.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
13:58

The actor Jim Broadbent, speaking at the Alzheimer’s Research Trust’s annual conference, has called on the Government to increase funding into Alzheimer’s research. He also spoke of the distress caused to him and his family by his late mother’s dementia. At the conference, Mr Broadbent appealed to ministers to ‘…think about how they fund research into dementia, which has long been marginalised…we need more people out there discovering, understanding and, ultimately, creating the treatments that people need.’ Mr Broadbent – who won an Oscar for his portrayal of a dementia sufferer’s husband in the film ‘Iris’ – joins a number of celebrities who have recently spoken out about issues surrounding dementia, including Terry Pratchett, Fiona Phillips and the Prince of Wales.

In other dementia news, a NHS Trust is trialling the use of GPS tracking devices for dementia patients with the aim of enabling them to go out safely as they can be easily found. Around 20 patients in the Thames Valley and Somerset areas are taking part in the trial. Their movements will be tracked on a map via a secure website, so that if they get lost or do not return home when expected, their relatives can locate them. A carer can also be notified if the patient strays outside a designated local area. The trial has been welcomed by the Alzheimer’s Society as well as by patients’ relatives, who hope that it will give them more peace of mind whilst giving more freedom to sufferers.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
10:01

The Prince of Wales has spoken of his grave concerns about the rising number of dementia sufferers in the UK, caused by the nation’s ageing population.  In a written statement prepared for the Alzheimer’s Research Trust’s conference, to be held this week, the Prince urges the scientific community to make every effort to find effective treatments for the disease.  He writes: ‘I am more than conscious of the enormous effect that dementia has on people’s lives and the lives of those who care for them…I thoroughly commend the work of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, and the scientists it funds, in our common battle against the bleak outlook posed by dementia.’

The Trust’s 10^th annual conference is the largest gathering of scientists specialising in the dementia field in the UK and is expected to be ‘a unique step forwards on the path towards a future cure.’ Currently, over 700,000 people in the UK suffer from dementia and this figure is expected to rise to over a million by 2025.  Dementia care costs the UK economy over £17 million per year – more than cancer, heart disease and stroke put together.

In related news, the Daily Mail reports that US scientists have created a test that can detect Alzheimer’s disease before any symptoms have been manifested.  The new test, which measures proteins in spinal fluid, has shown to be 87% accurate in identifying which patients who are showing symptoms such as early memory problems will go on to develop Alzheimer’s.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
17:53

The Prince of Wales has spoken of his grave concerns about the rising number of dementia sufferers in the UK, caused by the nation’s ageing population. In a written statement prepared for the Alzheimer’s Research Trust’s conference, to be held this week, the Prince urges the scientific community to make every effort to find effective treatments for the disease. He writes: ‘I am more than conscious of the enormous effect that dementia has on people’s lives and the lives of those who care for them…I thoroughly commend the work of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, and the scientists it funds, in our common battle against the bleak outlook posed by dementia.’

The Trust’s 10th annual conference is the largest gathering of scientists specialising in the dementia field in the UK and is expected to be ‘a unique step forwards on the path towards a future cure.’ Currently, over 700,000 people in the UK suffer from dementia and this figure is expected to rise to over a million by 2025. Dementia care costs the UK economy over £17 million per year – more than cancer, heart disease and stroke put together.

In related news, the Daily Mail reports that US scientists have created a test that can detect Alzheimer’s disease before any symptoms have been manifested. The new test, which measures proteins in spinal fluid, has shown to be 87% accurate in identifying which patients who are showing symptoms such as early memory problems will go on to develop Alzheimer’s.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
10:19

Popular fantasy author Terry Pratchett has made a BBC documentary about his life since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. The writer talks about his shock at being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and how the disease has affected his day to day life as well as his writing work. During the two part programme, Pratchett looks at a number of potential cures for the disease as he tries to reverse, or at least slow down, its progress. He also highlights the problem for many of obtaining drugs that can temporarily stabilise the condition and which are no longer available on the NHS to patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. This documentary and the recent programme presented by Fiona Philips about her father’s illness have been praised for helping to raise awareness and de-stigmatise mental health problems such as Alzheimer’s. ‘Living with Alzheimer’s’ can be viewed online at the BBC iPlayer website. More information and a factsheet about Alzheimer’s are also available at the BBC’s Headroom website.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
10:34

Well-known presenter and broadcaster Fiona Philips has made a Dispatches programme for Channel 4 which tackles the subject of caring for Alzheimer’s sufferers in the UK. The programme tells the story of a number of dementia sufferers, including Fiona’s father, who are cared for at home by family members. These unpaid carers are reported to save the economy around £6 billion per year. However, the carers that Ms Philips interviews find caring for their relatives upsetting and stressful, especially as many of them are elderly and frail themselves. And where the dementia sufferer still lives alone, as is the case with Mr Philips, there are concerns about their welfare and safety. The programme also examines the problem of getting funding for care, with only 49% of carers surveyed in a recent YouGov poll receiving any help from social services. The funding problems extend to medication, with the drug Aricept often being with-held from patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s as prescribing it is not seen as cost-effective.

The programme was aired on 12 January and can be viewed on-line at the Channel 4 website. You can also read about the programme on the Channel 4, Observer and Telegraph websites.

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
16:02

A three year study published in the January 2009 issue of The Lancet Neurology reveals that prescribing anti-psychotic drugs to dementia sufferers nearly doubles the risk of the patient’s early death. The study was funded by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust (ART) and was led by Professor Clive Ballard of Kings College, London. 165 Alzheimer’s patients in UK care homes who were already taking anti-psychotic medicines were involved in the study. 83 continued to take the drug while the remaining 82 were switched to a placebo. The results showed a significant increase in the number of deaths, which continued to rise over time, amongst the group taking anti-psychotic drugs. At the end of the three year study, just one third of the people on anti-psychotics were still alive, compared to two thirds of the placebo group.

Of the 700,000 dementia sufferers in the UK, it is thought that up to 100,000 are routinely prescribed anti-psychotic drugs to treat behavioural problems like aggressiveness and agitation. The drugs are considered to offer some benefit over a short period, e.g. 6-12 weeks. However, the average length of prescription is 1-2 years, even though a previous ART study showed no evidence that long-term treatment was beneficial.

The latest study has prompted some strong reactions, with Rebecca Wood of the ART describing the results as a ‘wake-up call’’ and the drugs themselves as a ‘potentially dangerous chemical cosh.’ Neil Hunt of the Alzheimer’s Society comments that the study ‘…highlights the desperate need to stop people with dementia being over-prescribed anti-psychotics…(which) do not have any effects on the underlying disease processes of Alzheimer’s disease.’ The Government has responded by pledging to review the use of anti-psychotic drugs as part of its National Dementia Strategy, which is due to be published this year.

Not everyone is wholly against the continued use of anti-psychotic medication. Jeremy Kuper, writing for the Guardian, offers an alternative viewpoint, examining the issue of quality of life for Alzheimer’s sufferers and whether it is worth prolonging it by avoiding the use of drugs. Kuper, whose mother has at times been prescribed tranquillisers for the disease, balances the issues of behaviour management against patient awareness. And the study’s director, Professor Ballard, admits that although the results show that alternatives to drugs must be found and unnecessary prescribing needs to stop: ‘…there is still a limited place for anti-psychotics in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.’

This issue has been widely reported across a range of media including newspapers, medical journals and mental health organisation websites. The below links offer a selection of articles for further reading.

• BBC website
• The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Kuper writing for The Guardian
• The Alzheimer’s Research Trust
• The Lancet Neurology

posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
15:55