Facts about Dementia
SHARE
14-20th of May is Dementia Awareness Week! In order to spread awareness, we have put together 10 need to know facts about Dementia.
-
Dementia is a group of progressive neurological disorders that involve the ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities.
-
Dementia is a global health problem, The Alzheimer’s Society reports it affects around 46.8 million people worldwide.
-
Over 850,000 people live with dementia in the UK with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common type.
-
There are a few different types of dementia including Alzheimers, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and Frontotemporal dementia. Each type affects different parts of the brain.
-
Dementia is not an inevitable part of getting older and it is not thought to be passed down through genes. However, the likelihood of developing dementia does rise as you get older.
-
Dementia can affect both men and women. According to Dementia UK “In the current population, women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and men are more likely to develop vascular dementia.”
-
Symptoms are different for everyone but can include: confusion, disorientation, delusions, hallucinations, difficulty communicating, problems with judgment including judging speeds and distances and even cravings for particular foods.
-
The best prevention is living a healthy lifestyle, so anything that has a positive impact on health and wellbeing, such as: giving up smoking, eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, reducing alcohol intake, keeping socially active, reducing cholesterol and lowering your blood pressure.
-
There is currently no cure for any type of dementia. If you have been diagnosed with a form of dementia, you are likely to be prescribed medication to help with your symptoms. Commonly used drugs are Cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies and Memantine for people with severe Alzheimer’s.
-
Non-drug treatment for dementia includes different types of cognitive therapy such as Cognitive stimulation activities to improve memory and thinking skills, aromatherapy and massage.
If you are worried either you or a loved one are showing symptoms of dementia the first thing to do is see your GP. For more information visit https://www.dementiauk.org
Dementia research is an ongoing task which needs volunteers, both people with and without signs of dementia. If you are interested in taking part in the studies please register online at www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk.