Couple coping with dementia

Supporting people with Alzheimer's and their families

Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia in older people, is brought on by the widespread destruction of brain cells (neurons) over the span of several years.

Alzheimer's Disease International estimates that there are 24 million people worldwide with dementia and that this figure is set to increase to a staggering 81 million people by 2040. Alzheimer's Research Trust states that 4.6 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed each year. Much of the increase will be in rapidly developing and heavily populated regions such as China, India and Latin America with the rate of dementia predicted to increase by more than 300 percent in India and China (Alzheimer’s Research Trust).

Dementia is a collective name for progressive degenerative brain syndromes which affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. Symptoms may include:

Alzheimer's Research

Supporting people with Alzheimer's and their families

World Dementia Statistics: