Each September, people unite from all corners of the world to raise awareness and to challenge the stigma that persists around Alzheimer’s disease and all types of dementia.
There are 209,600 new cases of dementia reported in the UK each year. Worldwide, around 50 million people are currently estimated to have dementia and there are 10 million new cases each year.
Every person is unique and dementia affects every individual differently, with no two people experiencing symptoms in exactly the same way.
Most people diagnosed with dementia have one of 4 common types: Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. These types of dementia have slightly different symptoms and causes.
You can find out more about each type via the following link – Different Types of Dementia
10 of the most common warning signs are –
- Memory loss
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems with language
- Disorientation to time and place
- Poor or decreased judgement
- Problems keeping track of things
- Misplacing things
- Changes in mood and behaviour
- Challenges understanding visual and spatial information
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
If these signs are new, they may be a sign of dementia. Dementia is not a part of normal aging. If you think that these problems are affecting your daily life, or the life of someone you know, you should talk to your doctor or seek out more information from your national Alzheimer or dementia association.
The Dementia Reablement Team can provide support following an initial diagnosis of early-stage Dementia from the Memory Clinic. They provide information and practical advice to enable people to continue to enjoy a good quality of life with family and friends, to feel confident to remain independent and stay safe within their own home.
Information on support can be found here – Dementia Reablement Team