I have to admit after 18 months or so being a care partner for someone with a diagnosis of dementia none of this adds up.  What I mean by this is the current arrangements for supporting families where dementia is unwanted guest do not make sense.

I have already made the point that dementia does not belong under the umbrella of mental health.  Dementia is brain injury it is not a condition of the mind.  It is a as simple as that. Therefore treating it as a mental health condition leads us down a very dodgy path.  I have previously blogged on ‘Ditch the Dodgy Drugs’.

The approach of social services to supporting cared for ones, and care partners, also does not add up.  It is possible that the new Care Act has complicated matters and added to the burden of busy professional staff.  Their work load may not compare favourably to a care partner, on an endless hours contract; where the terms and conditions are shrouded in mystery.

I do not understand why a third part needs to assess Maureen’s capacity about her own welfare.  Why do we need another opinion on her presentation when her care partner and ‘adopted daughter’ see it day after day.  At a time of economic austerity it does not add up that we can afford to pay someone else to pop in to assess capacity.

What would add up is clarity of the entitlement of those who have dementia and their care partners.  That would make sense and make trying to have a life with dementia a heck of a lot easier.