Don't Stop Dementia Drugs
Big rise in dementia cases predicted
EXPERTS are predicting a big increase in the number of NorthEast people suffering from dementia.
According to London School of Economics and King's College London, there is expected to be a 35 per cent rise in dementia cases during the next 15 years.
The research, commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society, reports that dementia affects 31,000 people in the region.
However, if the prediction is correct, this could rise to nearly 42,000 people living with dementia by 2021.
Researchers have identified Stockton as the district likely to experience the largest increase, with figures rising by 53 per cent from 1,963 to 3,000.
Other areas expected to see large increases include Northumberland (up 50 per cent), Hartlepool (up 43 per cent), Durham (up 40 per cent) and Redcar and Cleveland (up 39 per cent).
Durham's figure of 6,040 means the district has the highest number of people with dementia in the region.
Maggie Williams, North of England director of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Dementia is set to dramatically increase in the North-East, yet it is unclear how our health and social services plan to deal with dementia now or in the future. The report clearly shows the scale of dementia in the region and predicts the number of people with dementia will grow by more than 11,000 people by 2021.
"Dementia must become a local and national priority. We need leadership from local authorities and services to develop plans to respond to the challenge of dementia."
Currently, about 700,000 people in the UK are affected by dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's and the rest have other forms of the illness.
Last year, The Northern Echo launched the Don't Stop Dementia Drugs campaign calling for the Government to remove restrictions on a group of antidementia drugs.
10:37am Wednesday 6th June 2007
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