I am lucky to get help in looking after my father. But many families of dementia patients are struggling to cope | Ross Davies

GPs are right to feel dementia patients are being let down by health and social care services. And government policy means it will get worse

My father once had a set of glistening pearly whites, which he would jokingly refer to as his “Hollywood teeth”. Similarly, in keeping with his idea of how “a gentleman should present himself”, he took pride in shaving twice a day.

In many ways, hygiene and propriety were mutually inclusive for my traditionalist father. They have long since gone from his cognitive and physical grasp, robbed by dementia. I am reminded of this whenever I attempt to clean his teeth, now brown, or hold him down to clip away three-day stubble.

Related: Dementia patients forced to rely on unpaid carers, poll says

A huge part of the problem we face is the conspicuous lack of training within the NHS and social services.

Continue reading...