Families Face Delays for Dementia Diagnoses

Why it matters locally: While no specific data on diagnosis delays in South Dakota is immediately available, the national trend of extended wait times for dementia diagnoses likely affects families across the state, potentially delaying access to care and support services for a population with an increasing number of older adults.

Hundreds of families have encountered delays of several months to multiple years in obtaining a dementia diagnosis for a loved one. These families reported the extended wait times as they sought official medical assessments for individuals exhibiting symptoms consistent with dementia.