Government aims to cut dementia diagnosis times

The government has announced a funding boost in a bid to cut the amount of time it takes for dementia to be diagnosed in older adults.

A £29.6 million grant has been revealed by the coalition that will be used for the government's Biomedical Catalyst fund for technology.

Deployed in a memory clinic or a local brain health centre, the money will enable clinicians to combine computerised cognitive testing and imaging technology to improve access to information and cut diagnosis times to as little as three months, it has been claimed.

Commenting on the award of the grant, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society Jeremy Hughes stated many older adults who are affected by dementia wait months or even years for a diagnosis of the condition.

"Developing earlier ways of diagnosing the condition and ensuring we support people after they are diagnosed to live a full and independent life as long as possible are vital," he said.

According to recent research conducted at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, regular intake of caffeine can reduce a person's chances of developing dementia later in life.

Find out about dementia care and support services at Barchester care homes.