Most commentators attribute this winter’s hospital bed-blocking, A&E waiting times and poor ambulance response times to capacity constraints in home care agencies and residential homes. Estimates suggest up to 14,000 ‘medically fit’ people have been unable to leave hospital because a home care package, or residential placement, cannot be found. But, for dementia sufferers not in medical crisis, the burden is falling on families to provide round-the-clock care for their loved ones when a residential placement is not available. This situation is not yet being sufficiently highlighted, but will only worsen as care standards and capacity in residential dementia care continue to fall.
