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Dementia seems to be “substantially more common” than “recorded diagnoses” suggest, according to a survey of 15 randomly selected care homes in London.

The survey, which included 301 residents with a mean age of 83.5 years, found that 55.8 per cent of those in residential homes, 77.0 per cent in nursing homes and 91.0 per cent in residential elderly mentally infirm care met the criteria for dementia. Overall, 24.6 and 40.5 per cent of residents had moderate and severe dementia respectively.

Antidepressants were widely used, taken by 25.6 per cent of people in residential homes, 41.3 per cent in nursing homes and 25.0 per cent in residential mentally infirm care. Yet prevalences of depression were 26.5, 29.6 and 22.0 per cent.

Furthermore, 87.3 per cent exhibited at least one neuropsychiatric symptom, while 7.0 per cent in residential homes, 19.1 per cent in nursing homes and 34.1 per cent in residential mentally infirm care received antipsychotics. The high level of depression, behavioural problems and antipsychotic use might suggest “significant unmet need”. (Age and Ageing)