New report aims to address issues surrounding dementia in rural Wales

There has been widespread welcome of a new report from the Alzheimer’s Society which aims to tackle issues surrounding dementia in rural areas of Wales.

‘Dementia in Rural Wales’, which was launched at the Royal Welsh Show, calculates that of the 45,000 people with dementia in Wales, 38 per cent will live in a rural area.

Rurality brings about an additional set of challenges for people affected by dementia, there are likely to be less support services commissioned in rural Wales and access can prove difficult as transport links are often poorer.

As a rural nation with a growing, older population, these issues are likely to affect more people over time as age is the biggest risk factor for developing dementia. Lack of support and access to specialist dementia services, combined with age related issues can also increase the likelihood of experiencing isolation and loneliness.

Alzheimer’s Society in Wales, with the support of the Rural Dementia Taskforce, is calling for more to be done to remedy the situation. Alzheimer’s Society, in collaboration with the Rural Dementia Taskforce, is committed to paying its part in tackling these challenges alongside Welsh Government.

The report makes six key recommendations:

• Welsh Government to invest in research to understand the problem
• Identify good practice examples from across UK and Europe
• Seek the lived experiences of people living with dementia and their families
• Address the challenges of dementia and rurality in the proposed new national dementia strategy for Wales
• Address dementia in the Welsh Government’s new revised Rural Health Plan
• Identify links between rural dementia and Welsh language

First Minister Carwyn Jones, said:“Tackling the loneliness and isolation sadly felt by many people in Wales is one of our top priorities. I am therefore pleased to be here today to launch this report and set out my commitment to helping people in rural Wales who are living with dementia lead more fulfilling and inclusive lives.

“Our increased investment in dementia services has led to improvements in assessment and treatment, as well as the development of successful new initiatives such as the provision of dementia support workers in the community. However, there is still more to be done and that is why we are continuing to work with the Alzheimer’s Society as we develop our new strategic plan for dementia, which will be issued for consultation later this year.”

Sue Phelps, Director of Alzheimer’s Society in Wales said:“We crudely estimate that there are 17,000 people with dementia in rural Wales. However without the statistical evidence to support this; it’s likely this figure is much higher.

“Research is desperately needed to ascertain the extent of the problem to enable us to plan and deliver effective information, support and care services that are accessible and responsive to need. Alzheimer’s Society has been campaigning for a long time for a national dementia strategy in Wales – rurality needs to factor within that strategy and we hope to continue to work with Welsh Government as part of the Rural Dementia Taskforce to ensure that this happens.”

Sue Evans, Chief Executive of the Care Council, said: “We have done much work in the field of dementia and recognise that, in rural communities, it brings its own unique and complex challenges, which need thorough research to be properly understood and addressed.

“We are due to launch a comprehensive guide to good practice in dementia care in the autumn. And Dementia has also been identified as one of the potential key priorities for Social Care Wales when it takes on a service improvement role from April next year.

“Therefore, we fully support the development of a national dementia strategy in Wales and are keen to work with, and support in any way we can, the Alzheimer’s Society, the Rural Dementia Taskforce and Welsh Government to help achieve what is very much a shared vision.”