Did you know…..?
There are 55 million people living with dementia around the globe. It is estimated that this number will rise to 139 million by 2050.
Out of this number, in the UK there are currently around 900,000 people with dementia.
This month is World Alzheimer’s month – with Alzheimer’s day also falling on September 21st. Each September people from all over the world help to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and all other types of dementia too. Many people still think that Alzheimer’s and Dementia is something that comes with age, so it is very important that we continue to raise awareness and increase knowledge of the disease so everyone is well informed, able to spot the early signs, and get help for themselves or their loved ones when needed.
Each person experiences dementia in their own individual way. Different types of dementia also tend to affect people differently, especially in the early stages.
You should always keep an eye out for signs of Dementia, and some of the earlier signs you amy come across (whether whist working with service users or with family and friends) can include things such as:
- memory loss, like problems recalling things that happened recently
- difficulty concentrating, planning or organising
- problems with language and communication, like difficulties following a conversation or finding the right word for something
- being confused about time or place – like losing track of the time or date
- mood changes or difficulty controlling emotions
(www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/dementia-symptoms)
The theme for this year’s Alzheimer’s awareness day is actually ‘the power of knowledge’. This theme aims to spread awareness and show people that, by learning more about dementia and understanding changes in memory and behaviour, we can help more people feel empowered to reach out for help and support sooner.
You may already have known the signs and symptoms mentioned in this topic before if you have completed the Principles of Dementia unit, but we have some extra resources to read up on below – these will also be useful to read if you are yet to start that particular unit, and will give you a bit more insight into Dementia, and Alzheimer’s in particular:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/alzheimers-disease/
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia
If you would like to also read some previous reports on Alzheimer’s, you can read some previous reports on the below link. Each World Alzheimer’s Report has a different topic, so that all of the previous reports can give different facts and information that is still relevant today. This year’s report is due to come out later this month, and is going to focus on reducing the risk of Dementia, so it is well worth a look when it does come out!