In January we spend a lot of time discussing the benefits and harms of alcohol use, alongside posts encouraging us to seek help if we are finding drinking less more of a challenge. Something that rarely makes it into the headlines, however, is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WK). For many people with a long history of heavy alcohol use, there can be additional challenges to accessing support.

Project 6’s Hospital Mentoring Service in Sheffield works specifically with people over 50 who have been admitted to the hospital in connection to their alcohol use. Since April, the team has received 366 referrals. Specialist Worker, Scott shared some of his learning from working with people with WK and what support services can do better.

WK in a nutshell

WK is a serious brain condition linked to prolonged heavy alcohol use.

A combination of alcohol and thiamine B1 deficiency can lead to memory loss, physical disability, and be life-threating

Potentially 80% of people with WK syndrome are undiagnosed.

Wernicke’s – may be reversed if diagnosed early

Korsakoff’s- largely irreversible and leaves permanent damage

Symptoms – people can show signs of all or just one:

Ataxia – affecting coordination, balance, and speech. People may appear unsteady on their feet, have an unusual gate when they walk, or slur or speak more slowly

Nystagmus – involuntary eye movements, sometimes appear to be flickering  

Confusion – people struggle to form new memories, and older ones can seem more recent. They may experience confabulation (false memories)

Barriers to accessing support

Because people struggle to form new memories, remembering appointments and how to get there can be a real challenge.

This can mean they are dismissed by services as being unmotivated to engage.

Due to the impact WK can have on people’s speech and balance, they may be wrongly suspected of being intoxicated.

Confabulation means people may have memories that are false, or they misinterpret. They believe what they are saying to be true but again sometimes professionals may view the person as dishonest or making excuses.

All this often leads to people being unable to access or are excluded from support that should be available to them.

HMS service and WK

We asked the Hospital Mentoring Services’ Specialist Worker for his advice on supporting people.  

Patience – new memories for people are flimsy to begin with, it takes repetition to help people hold onto information.

You need to be consistent – ensure you are not passing people between staff, asking them to use unusual parts of your buildings, or calling at different times.

Give people time – if you are asking people to turn up to an appointment allow plenty of space for them to arrive later than expected.

Be concise – Long conversations and lots of information is not going to be helpful. Identify the key info together and stick to that.

It is not that people cannot retain information or keep to regular sessions, but it takes time for those memories to form. With time and support, people can build new routines, make decisions about their future, and create change in their lives.