In recent years, campaigners focused on ameliorating the costs of social care faced by people living with dementia and their families have often contrasted these costs with those faced by people living with cancer, to inculcate a sense of unfairness. In sum, while people undergoing treatment for cancer may have the costs of their care paid for by the NHS, and hence free to them regardless of their means, those with a diagnosis of dementia do not, and have to seek support from the means-tested, local authority run social care system. Most find themselves financially ineligible for support, face huge bills for domiciliary or residential care and run down all of their savings and assets to pay for it. It’s often implied that this distinction between health and social care, or between cancer and dementia is arbitrary. I think that’s wrong. Moreover, I think by overlooking fundamental differences it fails…