The new national promotion is totally worthwhile and encourages the understanding and support for those with dementia at all levels. It does not ask for money, but to educate friends and family in the ways of supporting those who live with this issue at either an early stage or a deeper more progressed stage. The removal of mystery is an excellent ideal and the video supplied on-line is a few minutes of practical and high level knowledge accompanied by a small information booklet sent once you have decided to register as a “Dementia Friend”.
The St Laurence Conservatives have no doubt that this scheme will help and it hopes to have one of its members trained as a Dementia Champion.
Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. It is an umbrella term for the symptoms of around 100 different brain diseases, that cause problems with memory, language skills, mental agility, understanding and judgement. Alzheimer’s is the most common, accounting for nearly two-thirds of cases.
44 million people worldwide now have dementia, and this figure is expected to triple by 2050, as the global population ages. In the UK alone, dementia currently affects more than 800,000 people, with the annual cost of care per person greater than the average salary.
Although some medical treatments do slow the progression of some types of dementia, there is currently no cure. Round-the-clock help is often needed, but for many a live-in carer is not practical or affordable. So scientists have started to look at ways that technology can support people with dementia and help them live independently for as long as possible