AN event was held in Worcestershire to discuss how to provide more targeted and appropriate care and support for younger people living with dementia and their families.

The ‘living well with dementia at a younger age’ event brought together people living with young onset dementia, families and carers and professionals from health, social care, the voluntary and independent sector to discuss the work that has been undertaken over the last 18 months to develop support and services.

The attendees were also asked to consider how this should be developed in the future.

Dementia is considered to be ‘young onset’ when it affects somebody under the age of 65. It is thought there are nearly 400 people under 65 living with dementia in Worcestershire but only 150 are known to the service.

Jenny La Fontaine, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust’s young onset dementia development officer, said: “An initial event last April laid the foundations for what we could do to provide more support and help for younger people who have dementia. This event looked to evaluate what we had done so far and build on that to see how we can move things forward.

"We have worked really hard to raise awareness of the condition in the county and we have worked closely with many professionals to try to ensure that people get a timely diagnosis and importantly, the right support following diagnosis.

"The challenges faced by a young person with dementia are different to those faced by an older person. They may still be working, they might have a younger family and may have different financial pressures such as mortgage repayments so we need to have that in mind when we plan services.”

A website - youngonsetdementia-worcestershire.org.uk - has been set up to support members of the public while an evening service will be held at County Hall from 7 to 9pm on every third Thursday of the month.