Charity says dementia victims' human rights are suffering

The human rights of dementia victims are suffering in care homes around Scotland, says charity, Alzheimer Scotland.

The charity says that the Scottish government needs to step in to ensure that human right violations are not occurring in care homes. The request follows the publishing of results from two studies, which visited 30 care homes and interviewed 1,335 residents.

Two organisations; the Mental Welfare Commission and the Care Commission carried out the visits and interviews between August 2008 and March 2009.

Before going into care homes, most of the sufferers were given a full medical review with input from a dietician and from GPs. However, after moving into the homes, few had annual check-ups and medication was rarely reviewed.

Less than a quarter of patients had adequate details of their life histories recorded with little or no detail about their likes and dislikes. The report also found that around half of the residents never went outside.

A study carried out by Laing and Buisson in March 2009 found similar problems facing dementia patients in care homes throughout the UK. Their research, which looked at 6,000 care homes, found that training was insufficient and that care was not 'dedicated' to the condition being suffered.

The Scottish government is reviewing its dementia strategy next week. The public health minister, Shona Robison, said the findings of the report were a "big wake-up call."

Tony Fisher, Senior Partner at Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP, Solicitors in Colchester, Essex, said: “The report highlights the need for care home proprietors, especially those dealing with residents with special needs, to be vigilant with regard to their reporting and support. There are lessons to be learned which need to be carefully considered by proprietors in England and Wales."