Learning Disability and Dementia

Karen Watchman

#DStrat2

Support for carers

Overview

• Risk factor• Diagnosis and post-

diagnostic support• Redesign of services

Risk factorRisk in people with Down’s syndrome:

• 10% in 40s

• 30%+ in 50s

• 50%+ aged 60 and over

Risk in people with other types of learning disability:

• 13.1% aged 60+

• 18.3% aged 65 and older

• Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body, frontotemporal ….

Diagnosis and post-diagnostic support

• Diagnosis difficult• Baseline assessments• Misdiagnosis• Fronto-temporal links?• Effectiveness of

medication?• Diagnosis often not

given – so how can post-diagnostic support begin?

• Loss of daily living skills

• Difficulty with kerbs• General inactivity• Loss of sociability• Increased irritability• Stopping previously

enjoyed activities

• Stopping previously enjoyed activities

• Stop spontaneous communication

• Confusion• Short term

memory loss

Redesign and transformation of services

• Learn from early examples

• Proactive approach• Lack of crossover

between learning disability services and dementia services

• eSAY statistics• Relearn the way we

provide support

Scotland's National Dementia Strategy 2013-2016

• One years post-diagnostic support

• Rights based• Embrace the process of

redesign and transformation of services

• All applies to people with learning disabilities too

Thank you

Karen.Watchman@uws.ac.ukAlzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and

Practice

Photographs from ‘Supporting Derek’ resource pack, Joseph Rowntree Foundation/University of Edinburgh