Dementia Support Line
Getting a diagnosis
Read the full version of our Trustees' Annual Report & Financial Statements 2022/23
Dementia Action Week: ‘It’s not called getting old, it’s called getting ill’
Dementia Action Week is our biggest and longest-running mass awareness campaign which aims to encourage people to ‘act on dementia’. This year’s theme was diagnosis, and we highlighted the benefits a diagnosis can bring. Dementia Action Week is our biggest and longest-running mass awareness campaign which aims to encourage people to ‘act on dementia’. This year’s theme was diagnosis, and we highlighted the benefits a diagnosis can bring.
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Increase in understanding what the benefits of a diagnosis are.
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Increase in people knowing they can come to us for support.
A new approach to dementia care
The Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service receives around 100 referrals every month for assessment, diagnosis and ongoing support. The service brings together healthcare professionals, support staff, therapists and social workers.
When GP’s encounter an unclear, complex or atypical case, they can turn to the Dementia Practitioner assigned to their practice for support with diagnoses.
If I had gotten an early diagnosis, I could have still worked. I could have changed jobs. But I gave up work. This had huge financial implications on me and my partner of the time.
Anita Goundry had to fight for years to get a diagnosis of mixed dementia at the age of 51.
Read moreAnita's Story
‘In around 2013, when I was around 45, I knew something was wrong. I rode motorbikes but I noticed my balance on the bike wasn’t right. This is when I started seeing the GP and trying to understand what was happening. I couldn’t remember names and faces
or where places were – very noticeable amongst family, colleagues and friends.
I went to the doctors. I kept being told I was too young for dementia despite saying I had memory issues too. It was put down to menopause, psychosis, hysteria and hypochondria. I don’t think they believe women
because everything is put down to menopause.
I ended up having three strokes, and in 2018 I was so fed up with my own doctors I called the Memory Clinic myself.
I had a 20-minute session where they talked about my life expectancy. I was told what I had, a brief
explanation of what was going to happen to me, given a DNR (do not resuscitate) form and a pack on Power of Attorney.
You don’t want to hear about the diagnosis like that. You want somebody to explain it in a compassionate way – not here are the hard facts, now go away.
If it hadn’t picked up the Alzheimer’s Society leaflet, I would have taken my own life. I phoned them, burst into tears and they helped me by phoning me every day and arranging for psychiatric help. They also signposted
me to all the support I needed.
If I had gotten an early diagnosis, I could have still worked. I could have changed jobs. But I gave up work. This had huge financial implications on me and my partner of the time. Timely diagnosis is important
– just please take people seriously.
Make dementia a top priority.’
Anita Goundry had to fight for years to get a diagnosis of mixed dementia at the age of 51.
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Helped review diagnosis services with Dementia Pathway Wakefield.
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Invested in the UK Dementia Research Institute in 2022/23 to help support timely and accurate diagnosis.
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Alzheimer’s Society funding committed to the UK Dementia Research Institute between 2022/2027.