Motion: Dementia Awareness Week

Dementia Awareness Week

Lodged by Irene Oldfather Members' Business Motion 37 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament acknowledges that Dementia Awareness Week 2009 takes place from 31 May to 7 June; is aware that Alzheimer Scotland estimates that in 2009 there are 67,000 people with dementia in Scotland, including 1,640 people under the age of 65; notes that this number is expected to rise to 114,000 by 2031; acknowledges that it is disappointing to note that Dementia Awareness Week follows a year in which a number of highly critical reports have highlighted the inefficiencies and failures in the quality of care of people with dementia in the community, in care homes and in long-term hospital care; notes the recent Care Commission report, Better care, every step of the way, which reflects the findings of 1,036 inspections and three investigations that found that 43% of homes did not realise that they were to deliver palliative and end-of-life care for people with life-limiting illnesses such as dementia; further notes the recent Care Commission report, Gradings So Far, which has shown significant variations in the quality of care received by elderly people in care homes when compared to other groups; considers that the poor quality of care at home services revealed in a recent Panorama investigation is simply unacceptable and particularly harmful to those people with dementia who may not be able to speak out for themselves; therefore supports the work of the Cross Party Group on Alzheimer’s, which calls for a Charter of Rights for people with dementia; further welcomes the decision by Alzheimer Scotland, in supporting this initiative, to host a series of roadshows across Scotland in June 2009, starting in Irvine on Friday 5 June, to consult people with dementia, their carers and other stakeholders on the content of a Charter of Rights; notes that the Charter of Rights seeks to ensure that individuals and their families have a clear set of rights from diagnosis through to end of life, and therefore considers that a fundamental culture change in care services would help ensure the highest quality of service provision to people with dementia.

Supporters (37)