Families in Sheffield could face £70-a-month cost to visit loved ones with dementia, warns Alzheimer’s Society

Thousands of people in Sheffield face paying more than £70 a month to safely visit loved ones living with dementia in care homes, following a controversial decision to scrap free lateral flow tests from April 1.

The announcement, included in the Government’s ‘Living With Covid-19’ plan, has been labelled a potentially ‘deadly mistake’ by Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia charity.

Linda Haggie, area manager for Alzheimer’s Society in Sheffield, said: “Free lateral flow tests are a crucial part of protecting people living with dementia in care homes, and it is essential their loved ones have free access to them so they can visit safely.

“A lack of testing when people were shockingly discharged into care homes at the start of the pandemic resulted in tens of thousands of residents catching the virus and by not offering free tests to visitors the Government is in danger of repeating the same, deadly mistake.”

Earlier this week, Boots announced it would be selling packs of five lateral flow tests for £12 from early March, meaning those wishing to visit loved ones daily will have to pay £73 per month. Alzheimer’s Society research shows more than 7,000 people in Sheffield live with some form of dementia.

Linda Haggie added: “The scaling back of free community testing will put family members and carers, desperate to keep their loved ones safe, out of pocket at a time when the cost of living is already rising.

“Social isolation has already wrought untold devastation on people affected by dementia and the Government must now ensure that its Living with Covid-19 plan works for everyone, not just those less vulnerable to coronavirus.”

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Alzheimer’s Society is calling for care home visiting guidelines to be as clear as possible, along with rules on self-isolation and access to PPE for health and care staff.

The charity wants free lateral flow testing for everyone living with dementia and their carers, and to see the over-75 booster drive prioritise care homes and those receiving care in their own homes.

To join Alzheimer’s Society’s campaign to ensure people affected by dementia are supported and protected in the aftermath and recovery of the coronavirus pandemic visit here.