New All-Party Parliamentary Group inquiry : We must make use of Occupational Therapists when assessing homes for people living with dementia

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The expertise of occupational therapists in assessing and addressing an individual’s ability to live independently in their own home should form a key part of housing assessments linked to a dementia diagnosis.

In its biennial inquiry, published 17 February 2021, ‘Housing for People with dementia – are we ready?’ [1], the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People identified 20 key issues having consulted with people living with dementia and associated health professionals.

Ranked among them is the pivotal role of occupational therapy.

Key Issue 9 states: ‘Home Improvement Agencies (HIA) and Occupational Therapists play a vital role in supporting people to navigate the complexities of the grants system, access appropriate technical advice, and manage building work to make homes dementia-ready.’

However, the inquiry also found that UK-wide access to HIAs and OTs is inconsistent, prompting a recommendation to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to take action, including:

Promoting the role of OTs in supporting older and disabled people, including households with someone with dementia.
Increasing the level and flexibility of Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) and Better Care funding to address home adaptations for those living with dementia.
Providing more extra care/assisted living/retirement accommodation that is ‘dementia-ready’.
Promote more widespread adoption of Dementia Dwelling Grants and the role of HIAs and Care and Repair Agencies (CRAs).

Reminding us that there are “no vaccines for dementia” in his inquiry foreword, APPG-HCOP Co-chair, Lord Best said housing was a critical element in coping with a progressive neurological disorder.

“One in 14 of us aged over 65, and one in six of us aged over 80, will find ourselves living with dementia,” he says.

“There is currently no cure, and in most cases, the condition worsens over time.

Housing - where we live, where we spend nearly all our time - is a critical element in addressing this predicament.

Lord Best OBE

“Get the housing right and life with dementia can be eased; a move into residential care can be avoided or postponed, and places in hard-pressed care homes kept available for others who really need them.”

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists was also consulted for part of the inquiry looking into how technology and home adaptations can improve the wellbeing of people affected by dementia.

Although the inquiry found limited research in this area, there was some recent evidence that ‘small interventions may be more effective’ in meeting needs and savings costs in the disease's earlier stages.

It cited the RCOT’s ‘Living with Dementia’ guide [2], compiled with Scotland’s national dementia charity, Alzheimer’s Scotland, as a useful resource for managing day-to-day life with dementia.

The guide gives suggestions such as:

Staying active in everyday life: ‘Keep doing what you enjoy and what’s important to you.’ [3]
Keep your routine going for structure and familiarity. [4]
Use technology, such as apps to help you stay independent. [5]
Exercise and stick to a balanced diet. [6]
Stay in touch with others [7]
Use reminders for important information [8]

Dementia in detail

Dementia is an umbrella term for different brain disorders, usually progressive, that causes a loss of brain function.

Up to 75 per cent of sufferers have Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia.

Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, and speech and comprehension difficulties.

According to the latest figures from the UK’s Alzheimer’s Society, there are around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK with 1.6 million predicted by 2040.

Current care costs linked to dementia stand at £34.7 billion; a figure forecast to rise over the next two decades to £94.1billion.

The Alzheimer’s Society has produced several guides surrounding daily life with dementia. They can be found here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia.

More on disability and carers benefits and grants here: https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/disability