People with dementia to lose out on Direct Payment scheme

People with dementia experience poor care because of a lack of appropriate support and equipment.

Direct payments offer people the opportunity to purchase what they know they need. People with dementia should be one of the key beneficiaries of this policy but unless the Department of Health's guidelines are changed, people with dementia and their carers will not benefit and the proposed improvements to help delay discharge will fail.

Clive Evers said:

'We know that carers want to use direct payments to buy equipment or have extra care at night or weekends. The Alzheimer's Society has seen an unprecedented rise in applications to its Caring Grants Fund for items such as specialist chairs or shower adaptations or breaks for a carer. This extra money would help.

But the current law is out of date. Only those who have specifically mentioned direct payments in an enduring power of attorney will be able to take them up.

There is a lot of talk about joint working between health and social care, but where is the joined up working between the Department of Health and the Lord Chancellor's Department?'

Notes for editors

• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers.
• Over 700,000 people in the UK have dementia. More than half have Alzheimer's disease.
• Dementia affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80.
• For information and advice on Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia call the Alzheimer's Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336.