Objective: To demonstrate a low-cost method of producing local information for dementia service planning.
Design: (1) Multiservice census. (2) Stratified random sample survey (stratified by setting) to assess needs.
Setting: All community and institutional settings in Forth Valley Health Board area.
Participants: (1) People age 65 + defined by health and social care professionals as having 'problems of memory/confusion (as is caused by dementia)' (N = 2060). (2) As (1) excluding those with score < 2 on Levin's checklist and no relevant known diagnosis (N = 286).
Main outcome measures: Coverage of population with dementia against EURODEM prevalence. Place of residence of sufferers. Level of care needs.
Main results: Identified population, pro-rating for identifiable non-response, accounted for 78% of EURODEM prevalence. Assuming unidentified 22% to live at home, 45% of total population with dementia were in some form of institutional care. Survey demonstrated high levels of need in local population with dementia known to services. Assistance was required more than once a day with mobility by 48%, personal care by 60%, domestic tasks by 75% and because of behavioural problems by 57%. Assistance was required at night by 59% because of personal care needs and by 54% because of behaviour problems.
Conclusions: The value of a broad-based survey 'snapshot' across the range of settings was confirmed. It can be accomplished relatively quickly and cheaply and complements information collected in other ways.