Have you forgotten me - bridging the gap with dementia diagnosis
- Jamie Stevenson
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A research team based at Bournemouth University has been working with carers, families and people with dementia to help identify their needs as they or their loved one wait for a formal diagnosis.
The team took an unusual creative approach using art and photography to record people's feelings and expressions of need.
The team and partner organisations displayed their work in an exhibition at the Poole Lighthouse Art Centre which ran from January until February 2026.
In Dorset, the average wait from GP referral to a dementia diagnosis is around eight months. However, delays often begin much earlier due to uncertainty about symptoms and barriers to seeking help.
Nationally, Alzheimer’s UK reports that 37% of people wait over a year before approaching their GP with concerns, and only half receive a formal diagnosis within a year of seeking help.
During this period, family carers play a pivotal but often invisible role. They are frequently the first to recognise early symptoms, encourage or initiate help-seeking, and provide ongoing support while waiting for a diagnosis. Despite this, most information and support services focus on the postdiagnosis stage, leaving families with little guidance before this.
The Waiting Well project explored the pre-diagnosis experience from family carers’ perspectives. Its aim was to identify where earlier information, guidance, and support could help people obtain a timelier diagnosis, overcome common barriers, and improve the health and well-being of both carers and those they support.
Read the full report on key findings from: Waiting Well - The Support and Information Needs of Family | January 2026
Carers Prior to a Dementia Diagnosis
The range and extent or the art work and photography has been amazing, and carers and people with dementia created postcards to express their thoughts. The research team of Drs Andy Pulmand and Natalie Djohari were funded to work in social care via ARC Wessex and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. They worked with project partners PramaLife, Halp & Care, In Jolly Good Company, and community artist Casey Brett.
The exhibition was covered by ITV News and your can see the report here
Dr Natalie Djohari is a Post Doctoral Fellow with ARC Wessex and is from Bournemouth University:
The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that 1 in 3 people living with dementia do not have a diagnosis. Our research shows this can be due to reluctance to seek help, uncertainty about symptoms, barriers when raising concerns, and long waiting times for diagnosis.
Because the current system is structured around diagnosis, undiagnosed individuals and their carers are often overlooked. This leaves families supporting loved ones without guidance, increasing the risk of crises, avoidable hospital admissions, and carer burnout. Reaching families earlier has the potential to prevent these outcomes and improve well-being throughout the dementia journey.
For a copy of the full report or further information, please contact:
Dr Natalie Djohari ndjohari@bournemouth.ac.uk
