As the UK faces a growing dementia crisis, the role of carers has never been more critical or more under-recognised. With nearly one million people living with dementia, the responsibility of care often falls on family members and loved ones who navigate immense emotional, physical, and financial challenges, frequently without adequate support.
In an interview with Care Innovation Summit, Frances Lawrence, CEO of Dementia Carers Count, shared powerful insights into the realities facing dementia carers today and the urgent need for change. In this interview, she highlights the importance of visibility, the role of innovation, and why carers must be at the heart of any meaningful transformation in dementia care.
This topic will be explored in more detail on the 11th June at the Business Design Centre – where Care Innovation Summit will provide care leaders with takeaways they can implement immediately to drive meaningful change in their business.
In your role as Chief Executive of Dementia Carers Count, what have been the key priorities in supporting and advocating for dementia carers across the UK?
As Chief Executive of Dementia Carers Count, my priority has been to ensure dementia carers no longer feel invisible or are left unsupported.
With nearly one million people living with dementia in the UK, far too many carers are struggling alone – around one in two receive no support at all, and four in five reach crisis point. We focus on providing in-depth, practical and emotional support via the phone and online, offering timely, tailored help so carers aren’t continually passed from pillar to post.
Alongside this, we campaign with carers for urgent change in three areas – exposing the hidden world of dementia care, addressing the crisis carers face, and making social care fairer. Everything we do is about standing alongside carers. We will not stop until every dementia carer gets the support they desperately need.
Your session at the Care Innovation Summit focuses on driving meaningful change through dementia care innovation. From your perspective, what are the most important shifts or opportunities currently shaping this space?
Dementia care is changing, with more use of technology, earlier diagnosis and support delivered at home. But the most important shift is recognising that you can’t improve dementia care without supporting carers too. Carers are the backbone of the system, yet too many receive little or no support. If we’re serious about improving care, we have to start with their reality. The biggest opportunity is listening to carers and shaping support around their everyday experiences – not assumptions.
Innovation is often driven by technology and research, but your work strongly centres on carers’ voices. How can the sector better ensure that both carers and people living with dementia are actively shaping the development and implementation of new solutions?
The most effective solutions start with listening to carers and people living with dementia. Too often, services are designed around systems, not real life. Carers and people with dementia need to be involved from the start, not brought in at the end. That means co-designing support, testing what works in practice, and valuing lived experience as much as professional expertise.
We also have to be realistic about the pressures carers face. If we want their input, it has to be easy and meaningful to take part. This is about recognising carers and people with dementia as partners in shaping solutions – not just recipients. That’s how we create support that actually works.
Looking ahead, how do you hope innovation – whether through technology, research, or new models of care – will improve outcomes for dementia carers and influence the future direction of the wider care sector?
Looking ahead, I hope innovation makes it much easier for dementia carers to get help before they reach breaking point. That means being able to access clear advice, practical support, and someone to talk to quickly and easily, in ways that fit around their daily lives.
Technology can help with that, but the bigger change needs to be in how the system works. The current system is failing carers. We need a more joined-up approach, where support is straightforward, consistent, and doesn’t feel like a constant battle.
If we get this right, we’ll see fewer people overwhelmed and exhausted, and more people feeling supported and able to cope with the challenges of dementia care. That’s the kind of change we need – not just new ideas, but real, practical improvements in people’s lives.
Putting Carers at the Centre of Dementia Care at Care Innovation Summit
Frances Lawrence’s perspective is a powerful reminder that innovation in dementia care must go beyond technology and systems, it must start with people. By placing carers and those living with dementia at the centre of decision-making, the sector has an opportunity to create solutions that are not only effective, but truly meaningful.
These are exactly the conversations shaping the agenda at Care Innovation Summit. Frances will be sharing her insights as part of the programme, offering a vital opportunity to hear directly from a leading voice advocating for dementia carers and to explore how innovation can deliver real, practical change.
If you’re looking to better understand the future of dementia care, connect with sector leaders, and be part of driving meaningful change, now is the time to get involved.
Explore the full programme and secure your place at the Care Innovation Summit to join the discussion, and be part of building a more supportive, compassionate future for carers.
