This afternoon, I spoke in the debate deteriorating long-term health conditions during the covid-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on Alzheimer's.
As an Officer of the APPG on Dementia, and someone who has experienced the personal impact of dementia on their family, I was grateful to have the opportunity to highlight this issue in today's debate. In Sutton, there are over 2,400 people living with dementia. Based on recent trends, it is estimated that well over 3,000 residents over the age of 65 in Sutton will be living with dementia by 2030. This is an increase of 25%.
People with dementia have very sadly been the worst hit by the pandemic and dementia was also sadly the most common pre-existing condition for people who died from Covid-19.
The effect of the pandemic on people living with dementia goes far beyond this. Social contact is incredibly important for people living with dementia and is very often part of their overall car plan. With the right support, rehabilitation services can help people living with dementia maintain their cognitive, social and emotional skills, along with ensuring their physical needs are met and that any other conditions they may have do not exacerbate their dementia. These services were sadly not available during the pandemic and many people living with dementia have not been able to preserve their skills in the way that they otherwise could have.
You can watch my whole contribution above.
