Wise up – 5 policy points to take away from Wise in 5: Dementia Strategies
PolicyWISE Wise in 5 briefing examining governmental strategies to dementia across the UK and Ireland, revealing significant differences in national approaches at a time when the number of people living with dementia continues to rise sharply. This briefing argues that greater collaboration between governments could accelerate improvements in care quality, awareness, and stigma reduction.
From the briefing, there are five key points from what we’ve learnt the Wise in 5 Dementia Strategies, which could be considered as part of further policy development and delivery in any or all of the nations.
1. The number of people living with dementia is increasing globally, along with greater awareness of the costs to health, social care, and unpaid family care.
2. At present, England is the only nation within the nations of the UK and Republic of Ireland that does not have a dedicated dementia action plan. Integrating dementia into a broader healthcare approach may have its benefits, but as the decision is so recent, its strengths and weaknesses remain to be seen.
3. There is a need for more comparative policy research that explores the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to dementia care across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Cross-nation collaboration would allow for knowledge-sharing that would improve research and outcomes for people with dementia and their families.
4. While other countries have resources in place to raise awareness and increase understanding of dementia as a condition, Scotland is the only nation that explicitly seeks to tackle stigma around dementia. Challenging the narrative around what people with dementia are capable of will facilitate greater autonomy and dignity for those living with the condition.
5. In developing strategies to support people with dementia, there are opportunities to consider cross-national learning as recognised by the British-Irish Council. The anticipated strategies are an important moment to integrate people’s lived experience with research and academic learning to build stronger policy.