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Latest Advice Articles
Dementia versus normal ageing
Many of us get a little more forgetful as we get older. Most of us will take a bit longer to remember things when we get distracted, and we may struggle to multi-task as well as we did when we were younger. This may become especially noticeable from middle age -...
Dementia: can it be fatal?
Although people don’t die from dementia, the presence of the disease can accelerate other illnesses (such as pneumonia) that can be fatal. The actual death of a person with dementia is usually caused by another condition, for example the person is likely to be frail...
Why dementia should be viewed as disability
Dementia is counted as a disability by the Equality Act 2010, as it causes “long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis...
Where dementia affects the brain
When someone develops dementia, the first part of the brain that gets affected is the hippocampus. This part of the brain is the centre of learning and memory. That's why memory loss is often one of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's. For more information or if you...
Dementia facts
850,000 – number of people with dementia in the UK, that’s one in 14 people aged 65+. 1.6 million – projected number of people with dementia in 2040. 209,600 will develop dementia this year, that's one every three minutes. 1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have...
Can dementia affect anyone
There are around 850,000 people in the UK with dementia. Dementia mainly affects people over the age of 65 and the likelihood of developing dementia increases significantly with age. One in 14 people aged 65+ have dementia. Although dementia can affect younger...
How dementia affects the brain
Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells. This damage interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other. When brain cells cannot communicate normally, it affects thinking, behaviour and feelings. For more information or if you wish to...
Is dementia hereditary?
With most types of dementia, the disease is not inherited by children or grandchildren. In rarer types of dementia there may be a genetic link, but these are only a very small proportion of overall cases of dementia. Age is the most important risk factor for...
Is dementia a disease
Dementia is not a single disease; it's an overall term that covers a wide range of specific medical conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, which are caused by abnormal brain changes. For more information or if you wish to discuss care for your loved one please...
Dementia causes
What causes dementia depends on the type of dementia. Below are the main types of dementia and their causes: Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by an abnormal protein which surrounds brain cells and another protein...