Conservative MP Andrew Bowie is calling for the UK to use the lessons it has learned from COVID-19 and use them for research into dementia.
In May he spoke about the topic to his peers in Parliament as part of a general discussion to mark Dementia Awareness Week.
Here the representative for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine drew upon his own experiences with the disease, with both his grandmothers having battled with it.
Bowie said both women went from ‘animated and fun’ people to a shadow of their former selves as dementia stripped them of their personalities.
He is now calling on the government to increase funding for dementia research and help lead the way for finding a cure for the disease.
Speaking to NR Times, Bowie said the pandemic has shown just what can be done when there is a committed and collaborative effort.
“One thing COVID has taught us is we can do so much when the scientific community comes together,” he said.
“We have managed to create a vaccine for a disease we didn’t even know existed a few years ago in just over 12 months.
“I would like to see the same done with dementia, which is becoming a large issue with our ageing population.
“Because of this more people are seeing the effects of the disease and what it can do to people, so we really do need to change our efforts.
“Breast cancer is another good example of what we can do with proper funding and research. Survival rates for this are at an all time high and we are seeing more treatments being discovered.
“Dementia is an equally pressing issue but one I really do believe we can beat if we put our minds to it.”
Bowie puts a lot of his devotion to this cause down to his own personal experiences.
He said he has seen first hand the debilitating effects dementia can have and wants to make sure future generations don’t have to go through the same thing.
“With any cause you’re always more attached when you have experiences with it,” he said. “And that’s one of the biggest reasons I want to see us beat the disease.
“Watching someone you love be affected by something like dementia was really tough.
“David Cameron was in a similar position as he had also been affected by it and we saw a lot of progress in this area under him.
“We have some fantastic scientists and researchers in the UK and a lot of people putting a lot of effort into this area.
“But all of them will tell you that they need more funding if we want to make real progress.”
Alzheimer’s Research UK recently launched a petition that has gathered over 50,000 signatures calling on the government to keep its promises over research funding.
In 2019 the Conservatives promised to double funding for this in its election manifesto and now a number of groups are demanding that it is pushed through.
Research is not the only area of dementia the UK needs to improve on when it comes to dementia, according to Bowie.
This isn’t necessarily for those with the disease but for those who look after them.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society there are an estimated 670,000 people acting as primary unpaid carers for people with dementia, leaving both an economic and emotional burden on them.
“I think the current way the UK cares for people with dementia is actually very good, but we need to start caring for the carers,” he said.
“These people put so much into looking after their loved ones and at the moment they get very little support.
“This also becomes an issue economically as these people are not able to contribute financially as much because they are out of work because of their care duties.
“Although research is massively important, there is still so much pressure on families when someone is given a dementia diagnosis.
“I would love to see this change in the UK and bring in a proper support network for these unpaid carers.”
There are currently around 850,000 people living with dementia and that is set to grow to over a million by 2025.
This further highlights the need for the UK to change its dementia strategy as more people begin to become affected by the condition.
One thing that Bowie and other groups are hoping to do is gain more recognition about the knock-on impact the disease can have on families and loved ones.
“Awareness for dementia as a condition in the UK is relatively good, but more awareness is needed on its wider effects,” he said.
“As well as this people also need to be more aware and informed of where this country is at with its research into the condition.
“I know that with the proper funding and resources we can find a cure for dementia.”
