Special Alzheimer's care plan 'does not slow cognitive decline'

A special care plan for people with Alzheimer's disease, involving regular assessments in specialist memory clinics, does not slow cognitive decline when compared to usual care methods, a new study claims.

French researchers set out to evaluate guidelines that recommended regular evaluation and follow up of people with Alzheimer's disease, according to and article in the British Medical Journal.

Conducted over two years, the study involved 1,131 patients with the disease visiting 50 different memory clinics in France.

The study authors said of the work: "This finding underlines the fact that this kind of broad intervention does not convey benefit in activities of daily living and may have little public health value."

Instead, research should now focus on whether the slowing of cognitive decline can be helped by more direct GP involvement or by using separate case manager programmes, the article concludes.

According to the Alzheimer's Society, there will be more then one million people in the UK living with dementia by 2025.

Read more about Barchester's dementia care homes.