This protocol developed by the Yorkshire and Humber Dementia Strategic Clinical Network aims to support GPs to diagnose dementia for people living with advanced dementia in a care home setting.

DiADeM is designed to be used only with those patients living with advanced dementia within a care home setting for whom a trip to memory services is unlikely to be feasible and/or make a difference to ongoing management.

Download DiADeM (Diagnosis of Advanced Dementia Mandate in Care Homes)

A diagnosis of dementia is usually made within memory services. Some care home residents with advanced dementia have never had a formal diagnosis. In these cases a referral to memory services is rarely desirable. It is likely to be distressing for the individual and is usually unnecessary.

People with advanced dementia, their families and staff caring for them, still benefit from a formal diagnosis. It enables access to appropriate care to meet individual needs and prompts staff to consider MCA and DOLs issues where appropriate.

A diagnosis of dementia can be made with a high degree of certainty if all five criteria listed in the protocol are met.