Raising awareness about dementia this Christmas

This Christmas you might be planning to get together with friends and family who you may not have seen for a while. While for most people this will be a happy reunion, others may be left feeling a little concerned by changes they have seen in their loved one’s thinking or behaviour. If you find yourself wondering whether you have observed the early warning signs of dementia, my advice is to consult a GP without delay.

Dementia is an umbrella term which is used to describe a set of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain function. Dementia is caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia.

I first became interested in dementia nearly ten years ago when I started running a local home care and live-in care service.

During this time, I have seen the difference that good support can make, not only to those living with dementia but also to those around them. 

It’s a fact that the number of people being diagnosed with dementia is increasing because people are living longer. The following statistics show the scale of dementia, and the increasing impact it is having on our society:

• There are currently around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK. This is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

• 1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have dementia and 70 per cent of people in care homes have dementia or severe memory problems.

• The total cost of care for people with dementia in the UK is £34.7billion. This is set to rise sharply over the next two decades, to £94.1billion by 2040.

• Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life, ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. As a country we spend much less on dementia than on these other conditions.

Although these stats paint a rather depressing picture, I think they also show that if your family is impacted by dementia, you are definitely not alone.

As a Dementia Friends Champion, it is my aim to use this regular column as a way to share tips for supporting those with dementia, to provide information about changes to treatments and to raise awareness and understanding.

If there is a topic you would like me to cover in a future column, please do email me at [email protected].

Alastair Shanks, Owner Right at Home GF and Dementia Friends Champion