Member Article

Dementia Test For People with Sensory Loss Set For Shake-Up

A pioneering new study will look into the ways dementia is assessed in a clinical environment for those with sensory loss

Deafness Support Network (DSN) has joined with University of Manchester (UoM) to launch a new study into the assessment for dementia for people with hearing and vision impairment.

NHS tests for dementia could get an overhaul, following a two year study, conducted by DSN Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, Dr. Jenna Littlejohn and Dr. Piers Dawes, Senior Lecturer in Audiology at the University of Manchester.

Currently, verbally administered cognitive tests are carried out with people having symptoms of dementia which include memory loss and difficulties with attention, problem-solving or language. But hearing or visual loss may impact performance on these cognitive tests, leading to misdiagnosis.

Dr Littlejohn, who carried out PhD research into the links between age related hearing loss and dementia, will lead the post doctoral study.

Dr Littlejohn said: “It’s really important that sensory impairment is taken into account as part of the diagnostic process. At the moment, even though NICE guidelines say to take sensory impairment into account, they do not state how this should be done. We want to help those with a sensory loss get diagnosed correctly so that they can receive the appropriate help.”

Over the next two years Dr. Littlejohn will work with clinicians, carers, families of patients and those under assessment for dementia in the Cheshire and Manchester areas.

Pier Dawes, Senior Lecturer, at UoM, said: “We’re grateful for the support from Deafness Support Network for this project and look forward to important results that will improve memory services for people with sensory impairment.”

For more information about the study and its progress, download the DSN App for iPhone go to: https://goo.gl/BbpKfV or for Android go to: https://goo.gl/asJkVG or search ‘Deafness Support Network’ on your app store on your device.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Laura Garner .