A sixth of people with dementia spent Christmas Day last year alone, leaving families struggling with feelings of guilt and anger over their ‘lost Christmas’, new findings from the Alzheimer’s Society have revealed.
Latest figures estimate that there are now around 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK, despite so many people with the condition having died over the last 18 months, accounting for over one in four deaths from COVID-19.
The survey by the charity also found that:
- for nearly a third, a 15-minute visit was the only social contact during week of Christmas
- three-fifths are more likely to struggle to recognise family members since last Christmas
- two thirds of family carers feel anxious about the Christmas season, with over a sixth of families having to make changes to usual celebrations because of their loved ones’ increase in symptoms (17 per cent).
Of those who did see someone during the week of Christmas, nearly a third merely had a 15 minute visit from either a neighbour, family member or paid carer (30 per cent) and nearly half only had visitors to drop off Christmas dinner and presents (44 per cent).
Families are now planning to revisit plans for this year’s Christmas period, with changing symptoms in their loved one and the ongoing uncertainty around Omicron being major factors in that.
Since last Christmas, people affected by dementia have reported that:
- 60 per cent of people with dementia are less likely to recognise family members
- 29 per cent find it more difficult to eat
- 35 per cent find it harder to walk.
Two thirds of family carers (66 per cent) are already feeling anxious about Christmas, with a quarter now having to cope with increased caring responsibilities due to an increase in their loved ones’ dementia symptoms (24 per cent).
A third are worried they will be left exhausted and won’t get enough respite (30 per cent). This comes after family carers spent 92 million extra hours caring for loved ones with dementia during the pandemic.
The Alzheimer’s Society saw a significant spike in demand for its services during the ‘lockdown Christmas’. Calls soared to double the previous year during the Christmas week, at 146 per cent higher than 2019, remaining high after Christmas too at 71 per cent higher than the previous year.
The charity’s virtual services saw a massive upsurge in searches on its website for topics such as support for carers – an 88 per cent increase from 2019 – with one of the most discussed topics in its online community around how to respond to loved ones in care homes asking if they’re coming home for Christmas, with over 1,500 even visiting the community on Christmas Day.
In response to the findings, Alzheimer’s Society’s Christmas Appeal has been launched to help increase capacity to its support services for anyone desperate for somewhere to turn to this festive season. Alzheimer’s Society’s vital support services have been used over six million times since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Kate Lee, chief executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “For many this festive season, the magic of Christmas will be marred by families having to cope with an unmanageable and irreversible decline in their loved ones. People with dementia need us like never before.”
