The Alzheimer’s
Society has provided the following information to help raise awareness of
dementia - a condition affecting 14,000 people in Hertfordshire.
Dementia Awareness
Week runs from May 14-20.
1.
Dementia is an umbrella term
Alzheimer’s disease
is the most common cause of dementia, affecting 62 per cent of those diagnosed.
The word dementia
describes a set of symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulties with
thinking, problem-solving or language.
In different types of
dementia such as vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, mixed dementia and
dementia with Lewy bodies, there is damage to different parts of the brain.
2.
Dementia isn’t a natural part of ageing
Dementia doesn’t care
who you are and can affect anyone.
It’s caused by
diseases of the brain which includes Alzheimer’s disease.
Dementia affects
everyone differently.
Someone with the
condition might experience a number of changes including problems with memory,
thinking, concentration and language.
It mainly affects
people over the age of 65 however there are more than 42,000 people under 65
living with dementia in the UK.
3.
Dementia is a progressive condition but with support people can continue to
live well
Dementia is
progressive, meaning that symptoms gradually get worse.
However, many people
living with dementia lead active and fulfilling lives for many years.
There are many ways
to help support someone living with dementia from becoming a Dementia Friend,
gaining a better understanding of the condition, to volunteering with
Alzheimer’s Society’s Side by Side service.
The charity is for
everyone affected by dementia, to find out more about local services or
volunteering visit alzheimers.org.uk
4. By
2021, one million of us will have dementia
There are 850,000
people in the UK who have a form of dementia, of which 14,000 live in
Hertfordshire.
Dementia has replaced
heart diseases as the leading cause of death in England and Wales, accounting
for 11.6% of all deaths registered in 2015, according to the Office for
National Statistics.
Dementia is set to be
the 21st century’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three
minutes.
5. There
is no cure for dementia
Delaying the onset of
dementia by five years would halve the number of deaths from the condition,
saving 30,000 lives a year.
Of the top 10 causes
of death, dementia is the only one we can’t prevent, cure or even slow down,
but funding of dementia research is still far too low.
Research is
continuing into new drugs, vaccines and other medical treatments.
Drugs do exist for
Alzheimer’s disease which can improve symptoms or temporarily slow progression,
in some people.
There are no licensed
drug treatments for other forms of dementia.
6.
Dementia research is underfunded
Dementia research is
desperately underfunded. For every person living with dementia, the annual cost
to the UK economy is over £30,000 and yet only £90 is spent on dementia
research each year.
Alzheimer’s Society
is committed to spending at least £150 million over the next decade on dementia
research including a £50 million investment in the UK’s first dedicated
Dementia Research Institute.
7. We can
beat dementia through research
Alzheimer’s Society
provides information and support, improves care, funds research, and creates
lasting change for people affected by dementia. The charity is investing in
research into dementia care, cause, cure and prevention of all types of
dementia. Dementia devastates lives. The Alzheimer’s Society needs people to
unite against dementia now. Whether you choose to donate, volunteer or
campaign, every action makes a difference.
SOURCE: Welwyn Hatfield Times, Nina Morgan
More interesting facts about Dementia related illness to follow over the next few weeks...
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