Supporting Carer Partners of People with Dementia: A Study from Six Countries

Background Dementia not only affects the person diagnosed, but also their family and wider support network. Care partners are often unpaid and untrained. They face financial, social, and psychological stressors that impact their health and wellbeing and may ultimately affect the quality of care. Easy and timely access to information, training, services, social and financial support throughout a caring trajectory are vital elements of a holistic support system. This study aims to assess dementia‐specific support and services in different countries and healthcare settings and map those against the needs of care partners. Methods An exploratory analysis of publicly available information on dementia‐specific support and services in six countries conveniently sampled, including Belgium, the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Ireland, Israel, and the UK. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed by the number and type of services, sector, and accessibility. Support and services were subsequently mapped against the taxonomy of needs of care partners of people with dementia identified from the literature. Results Preliminary results revealed that all selected countries except the Democratic Republic of Congo exhibited publicly accessible information on dementia‐specific support and services available in the capital, main cities, and rural areas. The public and NGO were the most prevalent sector providing the support. Depth, detail, and location of information on available services varied across countries, in some instances requiring visits to multiple governmental, public sector or quasi‐public sector sites. Final results will be presented at AAIC 2023. Conclusion Unmet needs are not just an individual issue, but a phenomenon linked to social and economic disadvantage and societal inequality. The creation and implementation of means to deliver multisectoral care, support and services for carer partners of people with dementia to meet their unique needs and prevent a decline in physical and mental health and social wellbeing is warranted irrespective of the healthcare setting, but particularly so in low‐ and middle‐income settings.