Government's Carer Support Strategy Is "Pathetic" Says Southport Dementia Pioneer, UK

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 17 Sep 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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A dementia care and support pioneer says that the government has missed the boat spectacularly in its "dabbling and pathetic" response to the needs of family and home carers in the UK.

Dan Lingard, Chief Executive of Melton Heath Care Limited, which owns the innovative Birch Abbey care centre in Southport, says that the government's reaction to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee report into the plight of the country's six million unpaid carers who don't want to use professional care services such as home carers and care homes is another illustration of how out-of-touch ministers are.

The committee says that state help for carers is now of critical importance.

"It is not just critical, it is massively urgent. On the one hand the government is telling us that we are in some quarters enjoying better health and longevity than ever before, but they are simply not grasping the nettle and moving fast enough to address the issues that come with living longer," said Dan Lingard.

"The longer we live, the more likely we are to fall into ill-health and to start to be affected by conditions such as dementia.

"Somebody has to help the growing population of people with dementia, and while some families' circumstances allow them to bring in professional support offered by organisations such as ours, there are many families whose circumstances do not permit such input and support, or, in fact, have decided they don't want to use 'professional' carers at home or from a care home.

"The committee said that it was disappointed that the government had not addressed the issue of financial help for carers in its Carers Strategy, which was launched earlier this year, and it has hit the nail on the head with regard to the key issue.

"As somebody who is frontline in supporting people with dementia - and their families - I can only say that the government is doing what it has typically done for this much misunderstood and undervalued group of people: it has nibbled round the edges, dabbled, put off a decision and provided a pathetic response.

"My team are professional carers and supporters of people with dementia and their families; at a professional level it is challenging - and in witnessing the challenges facing families on a daily basis I can provide cast-iron assurances that the efforts and commitment of family carers is absolutely immense.

"In effect many give up a great deal of their lives to care for loved ones with dementia. Financial support for carers should be an immediate priority, not something that has been put on the backburner in the Carers Strategy until 2011."

Dan Lingard, Chief Executive of Altrincham-based Melton Health Care Limited, which owns Birch Abbey care home in Southport, is a former software developer working with IBM and the BBC. He says much-misunderstood dementia needs to be fought, and people with the condition, and their family and friends, supported and inspired rather than simply have their basic needs attended to.

Dan and his team at Birch Abbey invented and pioneered a specialist monitoring system to support people with dementia, MyAmego (http://www.myamego.co.uk), an award-winning world first, which is now being installed in care homes and day centres, "extra care" flats and for use at home.

MyAmego