How we approach dementia

Understanding first

Most memory services follow a familiar path: assess, diagnose, and where appropriate, prescribe. That path has its place. Where medication is needed, it remains the responsibility of the patient's doctor, such as their GP, family doctor or specialist, who knows their full history – and we do not change or interfere with what they have prescribed.

What the International Memory Clinic adds is different. We work from an explicit, mechanism-based understanding of:

• The factors that can contribute to cognitive decline

• The order in which these factors are best addressed for each individual

Dementia is rarely the result of a single cause. Our role is to look carefully for the contributors that may be affecting memory and cognition, and to address those that can be changed – in a sequence that we determine to be best for the specific situation.

Looking where others may not

One example is the gut. The state of the digestive system can influence how the brain works – a connection long recognised in clinical medicine, where something as ordinary as constipation can affect mental clarity in older people. Where there is ongoing inflammation in the gut, or other inflammatory or immune processes at work, these can add to the burden carried by the brain. We assess for such contributors and, where they are present, work to settle them, so that they are not quietly contributing to the issues.

Alongside the gut, we consider the nutritional and biochemical factors that support the brain's own energy and repair processes, and the everyday aspects of life that can influence how the mind works. None of this replaces conventional care. Our approach is designed to sit alongside it.

Sequence matters

What we offer is not a single product or a fixed protocol. Our approach reflects our insights and judgement: working out which factors are likely to matter, and positioning each step so that it builds on the last. By making one considered change at a time, we can see what is helping and what is not, and adjust as necessary. This is where our expertise lies.

What this means

We want to be clear about what our approach is, and what it is not. We cannot promise to cure, reverse or stop dementia. What we aim to do is:

• Identify and reduce the modifiable factors that may be contributing to decline

• Support brain function as much as we can

Some people may notice meaningful benefit; for others, the value lies in reducing the likelihood that something changeable has been left unchanged and continues to have an impact.

Wherever you are

Because our approach rests on understanding and sequencing rather than on procedures tied to a single place, it can be followed from multiple locations in the world, in coordination with your local doctor.

Why now?

If someone you love is losing their memory, you are likely weighing a challenging future. If the decline continues, you may eventually be paying for full-time care. In the UK, that is now the single largest cost most families ever face – specialist nursing care for dementia averages around £1,600 per week, and exceeds £1,800 per week across much of London and the South East. Over the course of the illness, the average person's dementia care may cost in the region of £100,000, and most of that falls on the family. We share this information not to cause concern, but to improve awareness of the potential costs associated with dementia.

What we are actually offering

We offer participation in our IMC Memory Program if there is a good fit. Our work happens in two stages.

• The first is a single consultation in which our goal is to understand the person in front of us and to decide together whether the next stage is appropriate at this time. This is a two-way assessment of fit.

• The second is a structured six-month program of individualised care. Based on the assessment of fit, not everyone will go forward to this program and the continued care beyond it. Some people will be better served elsewhere. If that's the case, we will tell you plainly.

Why six months, and not a one-off appointment or an open subscription?

Dementia does not change in response to a single visit. Meaningful work on someone's memory and day-to-day function takes sustained, structured attention over time. That is why we offer a defined six-month program rather than ad-hoc follow-ups or an open-ended subscription that quietly bills month after month. Six months is long enough to do real work and short enough to know whether that work is making a difference.

We cannot guarantee outcomes

No one can honestly promise to reverse or halt dementia, and we will never make that claim. What we can tell you is what we believe and why. Dementia is not one disease with one cause; it behaves differently in each person. Our approach is built around identifying the specific characteristics of each individual's condition and addressing them directly, rather than applying the same template to everyone. We believe that gives us a better chance of stabilising or improving someone's function than a one-size-fits-all approach – but it is a better chance, not a certainty.

Is it worth it?

The entire six-month program costs less than a month of typical nursing dementia care. We have priced it so that the decision to try is easier for the family. We can't promise the program will spare you the cost of care down the line. What we can say is that a serious, individualised attempt to protect someone's function, made early, is worth doing, whatever the ultimate outcome may be.

Please note:
Consultations are focused on understanding your needs and providing information and guidance. We do not provide medical prescriptions, nor do we dispense medications. What we do is empower you with the knowledge to make informed decisions and collaborate more effectively with your local healthcare providers.