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What is Dementia?

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Dementia is a collective name for progressive degenerative brain syndromes which affect memory, thinking, behaviour, communication and emotion. Although each person will experience dementia in their own way, eventually those affected are unable to care for themselves and need help with all aspects of daily life. This can transform the lives, not only of the dementia sufferer, but also of their family and friends who care for them, in frightening and unpredictable ways.

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Dementia is one of the fastest growing illnesses around the world. Worldwide, 47.5 million people have dementia and there are 7.7 million new cases every year. There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2025. At current rates, this will soar to 2 million by 2051.

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Although dementia mainly affects older people, it is not a normal or inevitable part of ageing. However, despite various ways to prevent its onset, medicines to slow its progression and treat its symptoms, and support to manage living with the disease, there is currently no known cure for most types of dementia.

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