How to get dementia help

Caring for someone with dementia can be rewarding but also stressful, and there may well come a time when professional help is needed. People are often confused about what care is available and who has to pay for it. Two UK organisations are responsible for providing care – the NHS and social services. Healthcare is provided by the NHS and is free. Social and personal care is provided by local authority social services and you may have to pay for it. Strict rules apply about access to free NHS continuing care and many people with dementia will not be eligible. NHS continuing care is the name given to a package of care that the NHS provides. This means that someone assessed as eligible for NHS continuing care will have all the care they need paid for by the NHS. For someone in a care home, continuing healthcare funding covers both residential costs and food. If a person’s primary care need is for healthcare, they will be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. If a person is assessed as needing social care, rather than healthcare, they will not be eligible. They will then receive care provided by social services, but they may have to pay for it. A diagnosis of dementia will not in itself mean someone qualifies for NHS continuing care – the assessment is made on their needs alone. Assessments are done by the local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and cover 12 areas of a person’s care needs. If you think the person you care for may qualify for NHS continuing care, either at home or in a nursing home, ask your local CCG for an assessment. It’s always best to seek advice about getting funding as it can be difficult – see the panel opposite for more details.