Funding for a million dementia volunteers

I am not sure Jess.
I am all for more money for research, indeed Research into Ageing is one of the charities I donate to on a monthly basis.
But I'm not so sure about the Alzheimer's Society. I have a friend who worked for them as a volunteer for many years, and also know someone who be be benefited from their service - but then the local branch was closed on grounds of rationalisation or some such and people were left high and dry.
The blurb on the Dementia Friends website has an almost evangelical ring to it - they want dementia friends to 'sweep the country'.
I feel a bit suspicious that this might just be another waste of resources which might be better spent on improving existing services provided by occupational therapists and social workers.

Hear,hear, jane. I really don't want to be accosted by some well-meaning volunteer when I'm standing in front of the shelves in Waitrose looking vague and unfocused. The Alzheimer's Society spokeswoman on BBC just now suggested the volunteers would be trained to recognise the symptoms in strangers they come across so they can offer a helping hand, if, for example, they can't manage the cash machine. Hard to see how much help they could be if the problem is a forgotten PIN number.

This seems as if it might be another back-of-the-envelope idea and £2.4 million isn't a very substantial sum of money. It's difficult to see what these dementia friends are going to be trained to do and don't many neighbours already help out?

I think it's a good idea to raise awareness in society in general and I have asked for more info. I think my Mum would have benefited from there being heightened awareness before we got to grips with her condition.

Anyway, it could be me soon.

kittylester I feel sure that you don't really think it's funny that you might develop dementia soon. I guess that you find it unlikely and therefore laughable to suggest that you will develop dementia soon. Presumably those are examples of exactly the kind of thinking that this project aims to change.

I'm sure kitty meant nothing of the sort.

So what do you think she found worthy of a grin Nanadog?

I think the idea of trying to remove the terror and stigma is a good one.

I would prefer it if there were some hope of a cure - it would make more sense to put money into that.

The problem is that the illness seems so intractable - awful and incurable. I suppose it's a good thing to alter attitudes and to try to provide support - but imho it's the carers who really need the help.

I think it was to soften her comment and to put a happy face on it absent.
Agree timeout more funding for research and prevention.

I encountered some deeply unhelpful doctors with very negative attitudes when my mother was physically ill in the last 6–12 months of her life when her mind was also beginning to give up. Specialist gerontologists were very helpful but other hospital physicians and some nursing staff were horrid. The general public is not the only part of society that could do with its awareness raised.

A good point. Better ongoing training for GPs, practice nurses, hospital doctors, etc. There seems to be an attitude which says 'its all part of the ageing process' when in fact dementia, in all its forms, can be managed if diagnosed early enough.

I do think that there is a role for volunteers - no SW or OT has the time to do the day-to-day befriending that means so much to carers - someone to give them a break, to share a joke, to help with shopping, to keep their loved one company while they get on with the washing up or whatever.

I set up a similar scheme in conjunction with the local red x and it was very successful I am glad to say.

I don't think it needs to be quite so "evangelical" - just spend the money to train and support volunteers.

Yes, volunteers to support the caters. Now that's a good idea.

This is the bit that worries me:
"We’ll equip you with an understanding of dementia and how you can help, and the rest is down to you. We want Dementia Friends in every community – in every hospital ward, post office, place of worship, and on every street."

Two things here. Elsewhere they refer to teaching people to 'spot the signs' - this is very far from being properly diagnosed by a psychogeriatrician and it is not hard to imagine the Orwellian consequences of barely trained volunteers shoving their oar in and upsetting people and their relatives.
They want a Dementia friend in every post office? Every place of worship ?
What exactly for?

The key to successful volunteer schemes is proper training and support - heaven knows we do not want people trolling about thinking they know everything about dementia and poking their nosese in where they are not wanted. No-one is a true expert on dementia - we all watch from the sidelines.

But there is a role for volunteers if they have the right - and ongoing - suuport.

Well mishap they are providing £2.4 million for the training and it doesn't say anything about ongoing support.
That's £2.40 per volunteer.
Does that sound like a plan?
[sarcastic emoticon]

Just to clarify, I didn't mean to be sarcastic about you Mishap.
I meant about the project. I wish there was an edit function.

I like your maths jane . Says it all.
I was not sure what I thought this morning. Excellent points about training people to "diagnose" at cashpoints; unleashing well intentioned trainees upon the world etc.
How will they be able to tell, really. The only time I have ever been seriously fuddled at a cashpoint it was about 25 years ago when I had consumed far too much cannabis. I don't mix in dope-consuming circles any more, but given the rather high use of cannabis and alcohol amongst the over 60s, really, how will they be able to tell? Drunk/stoned/altzheimers or just plain stressed by technology?

To me it smacks of "big society" double think. The government want to be seen to be doing something, without spending much money. They are deeply conflicted - on the one hand they like the thought that "the voluntary sector" will take issues like this away from the state. But the trouble is that in order for this to happen" a/ you have to keep your top-down centralist tendencies under control b/ vol sect may not do what you want them to do c/ govt does not get kudos d/ often they need funding to do anything and e/ they may not actually spend money in a useful way.
This is based on a Japanese initiative. Not sure if it was evaluated in Japan but even if it was, will a good idea necessarily transfer between 2 v different cultures?
I am against national roll-outs of "bright ideas'. I am in favour of small trials which are carefully evaluated and then rolled out.

Jane - no offence taken.

I just wanted to make the point that volunteer schemes are not a way of doing things on the cheap (which I suspect is what the government hope). Volunteer schemes only work well when the volunteers are well and professionally supported long-term - this does not come cheap and should be built in to any plan.

What we have here smacks of political window-dressing rather than a well thought out policy. The basis of using volunteers has merit (for the reasons I outlined above) but only works if it is done properly.

absent just an attempt at levity. I do know about dementia and, with the heredity aspect, fully expect to get it. I was therefore laughing in the face of my 'enemy'.

Jess and mishap completely agree about the need for a small pilot study properly evaluated before rolling anything out nationally, and the effectiveness of volunteers if properly funded and supported by professionals.
Kitty I think I have read that in only a small percentage of Alzheimer's (>5%) is there a genetic component so maybe you are being a bit too fatalistic. [thought of putting a grin but afraid of being told off by absent]
Another thing that concerns me is when one disease or condition is prioritised in this way, as if people with other problems somehow matter less.
Personally I think depression can be a big problem for older people and is often unrecognised and untreated.

The family all thought my MiL was developing dementia but the diagnosis was depression and when that was treated she became fully compos mentis. It seems that depression should not be ruled out when dementia is suspected.

Under-active thyroid can make you pretty vague. So, in the case of really elderly people, can an infection, dehydration...that's the extent of my personal knowledge. Where my mother used to live, social services had a list of 'befrienders' for anyone who needed an extra hand but they all visited people who had been referred.

My father had dementia and I'm beginning to recognise behaviour that my mum had[she actually died before he did even though she was a lot younger; looking after him killed her] that was early stage Alzheimers so I'm pretty scared. I don't think it can be managed and treated unles the new treatments that are being talked about are effective. Like kitty, I have to laugh about it or I'd cry.