Monday, October 26, 2015

The Spreading Impact of Dementia

I've posted several times of late on recent articles about dementia.  So here is one more, from England.  Published September 21, 2015 in The Guardian, One-third of British people born in 2015 'will develop dementia' looks at the projections of dementia in England. The article opens with sobering statistics. "One in three people born this year will develop dementia, according to new figures. The Alzheimer’s Research UK charity warned of a “looming national health crisis” as the population ages." Quoting Alzheimer's Research UK which offered that age is the most significant risk factor, the article offers future predictions:

As people live longer than ever before, the numbers with dementia will rise. The latest analysis, commissioned by the charity and carried out by the Office of Health Economics, was released to mark World Alzheimer’s Day.

It showed 27% of boys born in 2015 will develop the condition in their lifetime, alongside 37% of girls. Previous research from the same team has estimated that the development of a drug that could delay the onset of dementia by five years would cut the number of cases by a third.

We know the implications on caregivers from this disease. The article offers the fiscal impact on the country:

George McNamara, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Dementia is already the biggest health challenge this country faces. It costs the UK in excess of £26bn, which equates to £30,000 a person with dementia – more than the cost of either cancer or heart disease. Today’s stark finding should galvanise the government, and us all, into action.”

 

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/elder_law/2015/10/the-spreading-impact-of-dementia.html

Cognitive Impairment, Consumer Information, Current Affairs, Dementia/Alzheimer’s, Health Care/Long Term Care, International | Permalink

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