With global dementia cases approaching 50 000 000, the importance of early and accurate diagnosis is crucial. Primary care clinicians are often the initial point of contact for people, their family and caregivers when dementia is first suspected. People who suspect they, or their loved one, may have dementia often experience significant fear and distress. Timely and accurate diagnosis, with an honest but compassionate discussion of dementia and its prognosis, may alleviate some distress by reducing time to diagnosis. Timely diagnosis may also enable opportunities to use disease-limiting treatments, reduce unnecessary testing and investigations and provides an opportunity to undertake advance care planning.

The number of people living with dementia (PLWD) in the UK is projected to increase rapidly. Much of the contact PLWD and their carers have with the health service is through primary care. The primary care team plays an important role helping people to ‘live well with dementia’. ‘Living well with dementia’ will mean something different for everyone; a holistic, person-centred view of the concept is needed. Important aspects this concept include remaining physically/socially active, understanding the diagnosis and being involved in care decisions. Safe prescribing and regular, high-quality reviews are markers of good dementia care and support people to ‘live well’. ‘Living well’ also incorporates avoidance of adverse health outcomes, including hospitalisation, falls and delirium. As dementia prevalence increases, many more people will be living with the condition, or caring for someone with it. Supporting people with dementia and their carers to ‘live well’ needs to be a primary care priority. This article discusses ways to facilitate achievement of better support for patients living with dementia.