Welsh voters want urgent action on dementia

A large majority of people in Wales want dementia made a top healthcare priority, according to new research published ahead of the Senedd election.

A survey of more than 1,000 adults by Alzheimer’s Society Cymru found that 83% of respondents believe dementia should be prioritised, while 69% said it is currently overlooked and underfunded.

The findings come as Wales continues to record some of the lowest dementia diagnosis rates in the UK, with thousands of families missing out on support and treatment.

Around 51,000 people are currently living with dementia in Wales, a figure expected to rise to 70,000 by 2040. However, only 57% have received a formal diagnosis, with rates dropping to 48% in rural areas such as Powys.

The survey found overwhelming support for improving early diagnosis, with 91% of respondents saying access to timely diagnosis must improve, and 87% backing increased investment in diagnostic services.

There was also strong agreement that better support is needed for families and carers, with 91% saying people living with dementia should have access to appropriate support alongside unpaid carers.

Ceri Parry, from Cardiff, said she was forced to retire early from her role as a headteacher due to a lack of support after her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She said: “I fully support improving early and accurate diagnosis, but this must also come with improved support and care for families afterwards. There’s five years between my relatives’ diagnoses and nothing changed, on both occasions we left with a leaflet and the unknown.”

She added: “The wait for improved diagnosis, treatment and support needs to end. Dementia must be top priority for the next Welsh Government, for families living with it now and for the many that are going to be living with it in the future.”

Highlighting the importance of culturally appropriate care, she said: “We found there to be no diagnosis assessment available in the Welsh language, a fundamental issue if a diagnosis is to be accurate, safe and informed for people who speak Welsh as their first language.

“For both my relatives, this was a challenging part of our diagnosis experience and receiving professional care after. It’s more than feeling comfortable, it’s a clinical need. Ignoring someone’s identity is ignoring the person.”

Visible action

The research also found that visible action would be key to convincing voters that governments are addressing dementia, with 72% calling for improved services, 64% for more research funding, and 63% for better access to treatments.

Gemma Roberts, National Influencing Manager at Alzheimer’s Society Cymru, said: “Dementia is Wales’s biggest killer and the biggest health and social care challenge of our time.

“Hope is on the horizon with new treatments emerging and faster, more accurate diagnosis. The science is flying but the system is failing and without transformation we risk people living with dementia in Wales missing out.”

She added: “We are at a turning point for dementia, and whoever forms the next Welsh Government must publish and deliver a bold and ambitious new dementia strategy that revolutionises diagnosis and access to quality care, treatments and support.”