Dementia campaign prompts public to see GPs

A charity's campaign to improve early diagnosis of dementia has led to people seeking medical advice sooner than they might have done.

The Alzheimer's Society staged its 'Worried About Your Memory?' campaign to raise public awareness of the symptoms of dementia, which affects 570,000 people in England. It also aimed to encourage people who were worried about their memory to visit their GPs.

Memory problems can be an early sign of dementia. The illness can also cause loss of communication, and eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties. The RCSLT is working to raise the profile of SLTs working with people with dementia.

The Department of Health funded the Alzheimer's Society's campaign in which advice and information leaflets, booklets and posters were made available at every GP practice in England in May 2008. The charity conducted a survey in January 2009 which received responses from 1,817 GPs and 524 members of the public.

The results showed that nearly 40% of the respondents who requested the information booklet said they sought help earlier than they would have done. In addition, one in five people received a diagnosis as a result.

The survey also found that one in seven GPs have noticed more people asking about memory problems since the campaign's launch.

For more information, visit the Alzheimer's Society website.

SLTs who would like further details about the RCSLT's work around dementia should contact Policy Officer Claire Moser.