Latest news with #youngonsetdementia
BBC News
7 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Young-onset dementia patients 'falling through gaps in care'
When someone develops dementia before the age of 65, it is known as young-onset dementia. Thousands of people in the UK have been diagnosed with the condition and each one will have specific care needs. To look at David Sincock beating his dad Ian at snooker, you wouldn't think he had any health 48-year-old, a former Home Office civil servant, was diagnosed with young-onset dementia in 2023. Today, he is largely sister, Dawn Sincock, says the symptoms of his condition emerged gradually."We noticed that David was maybe mixing up times and dates, and travelling was starting to become a problem whereas before he was very independent."We got David an appointment with the GP and went from there. It was quite a lengthy process - lots of tests - and eventually in 2023 he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia."David was initially looked after by his elderly parents at their home in Darlington, but in October he became a resident at The Manor at Eighton Lodge - a purpose-built unit in Gateshead for people with young-onset the eight-bed facility, he gets care targeted to his age Beckett, from Wellburn Care Homes, which runs the unit, says younger patients have particular needs compared with the elderly."They're much more active, especially David. He walks every single day and the levels of care are very, very different."[The Manor] is very much like a home. It's a much smaller unit and the kitchen facilities are all open and accessible, which you couldn't do in an elderly residential home." Dawn says her brother has made progress since his arrival."As soon as David came here we had reports that he'd started responding more and instead of giving a thumbs up or thumbs down, he was maybe communicating more and getting more enjoyment out of activities and still being able to do the physical activities that he needs."People diagnosed before the age of 65 are generally classified as having young-onset Research UK says 5% - about 70,000 - of the total number of dementia patients in the UK are classified as is unclear how David's condition will develop, and now it is uncertain where he will has been paying for his own care at The Manor and his house in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, is being with his savings now running out, Gateshead Council has not confirmed whether it will take over the cost of him staying parents both have ongoing illnesses and say they are unable to look after him at is 77 and has cancer. He says the uncertainty about his son's future is difficult."The stress is unbelievable because it's continuing," he says. "Going forward, I want David to have the best possible quality of life while he can in an environment that suits him."His sister is also concerned."It's just the constant worry for the family," she says. "Because we don't know if there's a future here and how David is going to be cared for." The North Yorkshire-based charity Dementia Forward says young-onset patients are falling through gaps in the care system across the charity's chief executive, Jill Quinn MBE, says there is "a vacuum" in terms of age-appropriate care for people."There's extremely poor data [on young-onset dementia patients]. For example, in North Yorkshire it was estimated there were 173 young dementia patients, but Dementia Forward is currently supporting 450."Councillor John Adams, cabinet member for adult social care at Gateshead Council, said "ensuring people get the best support to live as independently as possible" was the local authority's "top priority"."This is key to our Home First approach, which focuses on supporting people to remain in their own home and communities for as long as they can," he said in a statement."We know that for many, living independently within a supportive community and appropriate solutions, such as tech-enabled care, leads to the best health and wellbeing outcomes."We cannot provide details of the support that is being offered to Mr Sincock for confidentiality reasons, but we can confirm that following recent contact for support, the council is concluding the essential assessment and working towards agreeing a suitable outcome as soon as possible." If you have been affected by the issues in this report, there is help and advice available at BBC Action Line. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Young-onset dementia charity expands activities in Woking
A charity set up to help people with young-onset dementia is expanding its operation in People With Dementia organises activity for people affected by the condition under the age of organises activity-based workshops in Guildford and is planning pilot sessions in worker James Goodman said: "We were set up because there was a need. You hear dementia and you assume it affects older people." What are dementia and Alzheimer's?How does young-onset dementia affect people?'Groundbreaking' dementia trial starts in Surrey Mr Goodman told BBC Radio Surrey: "We're providing activity and social interaction for the person living with dementia, but we're also providing respite for their carers because, more often than not, carers are in full-time work when their partner's diagnosed."There's not as much opportunity for them for help," he said. "We've worked with people as young as in their 30s, so [dementia] is something that really doesn't discriminate." The charity runs gardening workshops, a choir, cookery classes and racket sport events, changing activities every six one of the service users, said the group had "become a community"."The variety of people and personalities is what makes it special," he said."The choir is the one where there's most people, about 40, maybe 50."There's no stigma, everyone's accepted by default," Ian said. "At the end of the day we're just human beings getting on with life as best we can."People under 65 who have a diagnosis of dementia can self-refer through the charity's website.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The Crown actor Josh O'Connor ‘in awe' of uncle living with early Alzheimer's
Josh O'Connor, who played Prince Charles in The Crown, has said he is 'in awe' of his uncle who is living with young-onset Alzheimer's disease. The actor, who also starred in Challengers, is supporting his uncle Bernard Bunting's bid to raise £1 million for a new Rare Dementia Support Centre in London. Former soldier Mr Bunting, 67, developed dementia symptoms around the age of 60 but was not diagnosed until three years ago. On Sunday, he is setting off on a 4,200-mile bike ride round the coast of Britain for the National Brain Appeal to support the world's first rare dementia support centre, which will open next year in London. More than 70,800 people in the UK are living with young-onset dementia, which occurs when the condition develops before the age of 65. O'Connor said: 'I am in awe of my uncle Bernard for taking on this challenge and not letting his diagnosis hold him back. 'Knowing how determined he is, he will push through physical boundaries to complete this immense challenge and reach his fundraising goals.' Mr Bunting's father was the sculptor John Bunting and his sister is the journalist and author Madeleine Bunting. Mr Bunting is currently taking part in a clinical trial led by Professor Catherine Mummery, head of clinical trials at the UCL Dementia Research Centre, to test a new generation of drugs aimed at slowing down the progress of young-onset Alzheimer's. Mr Bunting said: 'Taking part in this clinical trial is really important to me. 'The best-case scenario is that it slows the progression of my Alzheimer's, but what is also crucial is how these trials will help researchers learn more about the disease and benefit others like me in the future.' He added: 'For me, life carries on – you don't feel it every day. 'In fact, although there are some things I can't do as well as I could in the past, I feel no different to when I was at school 50 years ago. 'I'm lucky, I'm reasonably fit and I've got lots of outdoor pursuits.' Mr Bunting lives between London and Yorkshire with his wife Caroline. They have two daughters, Emily and Anna. A keen cyclist, his goal is to raise £1m in the form of 100,000 one-off donations of £10 from individual sponsors. Starting from Putney Bridge on Sunday, he will travel south and follow the coast around Cornwall, Wales, then north to Scotland before heading back down to London. He is expecting the journey to take seven to eight weeks. 'When you look at a map of the UK, it's absolutely staggering – all the estuaries, rivers, the ups and downs,' he said. 'I'm fascinated by that and, over the past 18 months, I have trained hard, and mapped out my own 4,200-mile route around the coast of England, Wales and Scotland, setting up a satellite navigation system to guide me around it. 'My route around, will include a total elevation of 57,000 metres (18,7007ft) – almost the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest from sea level, every week for the seven or so weeks of the trip.' Claire Wood Hill, chief executive of the National Brain Appeal, said: 'The challenge that Bernard has set himself is truly awe-inspiring and we are incredibly grateful. 'The Rare Dementia Support Centre really will transform the lives of people affected by these devastating conditions. 'We will be following his progress closely and wish him the very best of luck.'
