Commons Sense

Many constituents have contacted me recently, concerned about the impact of coronavirus on people with dementia.

Having served as a trustee of the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support

Services, I’m fully aware of the amazing work done by carers and want to commend them for it.

The Government stated it has acted to support people with dementia and their carers during the pandemic.

However, mistakes were made from the beginning: Ministers were too slow to protect older and vulnerable people; care staff were left without protective equipment; and thousands of older people were discharged from hospitals to care homes without tests.

Despite the best efforts of care workers, NHS staff and unpaid carers - who have gone the extra mile to care for older and vulnerable people - I believe the pandemic has exposed the underlying problems with our social care system.

For too long, it has lacked the priority, attention and funding it deserves, and care workers have been undervalued and underpaid.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services estimates that, following a decade of Tory cuts to local government, £8 billion has been lost from adult social care budgets since 2010 and too many people have been left to cope without the support they desperately need.

Councils now face £6.6 billion in extra costs, yet the Government has repeatedly delayed setting out its plan to fix social care. This has put particular strain on families affected by dementia.

People who need care and those who provide it cannot afford to wait any longer. I believe the Government must bring forward a plan to put social care services on a sustainable footing.

There have been ongoing concerns too about families wanting to visit loved ones in care homes.

Whilst floor-to-ceiling screens for indoor visits, or outdoor window visits, have been proposed as a solution for visiting family members in care homes, it’s unlikely to work for those with dementia.

I support calls for the Government to instead designate a family member as a key worker – making them a priority for weekly testing and proper protective equipment. We need to look after the most vulnerable in our society, including those with dementia, throughout this pandemic and into the future.