Research from the University of Manchester and McMaster University has highlighted the experiences of UK ex-Service personnel with dementia who are living in their own homes, and the barriers they have faced in accessing support.
The research, funded by Forces in Mind Trust, was the first qualitative study with ex-Service personnel living with dementia in the community in the UK.
The study found that having the dual identities of being someone with a dementia diagnosis, and also being ex-military, caused specific challenges in accessing and receiving appropriate support. The study highlighted that they are between two separate support systems, neither of which fully supports their needs, and between which communication can be poor.
Ex-Service personnel living with dementia in their own homes are commonly referred to as ‘living in the community’, as opposed to living in a care home or other supported accommodation. Although ex-Service personnel have been shown to have similar rates of dementia to the general population1, they often have distinct support needs, that require specific understanding of their identity as an ex-Service person.
Though support is available for ex-Service personnel living with dementia through community-based support groups, initiatives were described as frequently short-term, with very few support groups that covered the dual identities of both being an ex-Service person and someone living with dementia. This led to this support not addressing their distinct support needs.
In addition, some voiced concerns that support provision was not well advertised, suggesting services were not “joined up”, making it difficult to access the correct support. Interviews found that some ex-Service personnel were more willing to engage with services designed specifically for the Armed Forces community.
The small qualitative study was based on in-depth interviews with 15 care providers in the North-West of England, as well as 11 ex-Service personnel living with dementia and their care partners as well as two policy and practice workshops with stakeholders.
Recommendations
Although the research was an exploratory study, it outlines several recommendations to or by ensuring those in dementia services are aware of ex-Service personnel specific services.
The report and all its recommendations can be read in full on Forces in Mind Trust’s website.
