"Senility is very undignified" - George Melly

10:39am Tuesday 26th June 2007

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NOT only has he had to cope with lung cancer for the past two years, but jazz legend George Melly has also been diagnosed as being in the early stages of dementia.

"Senility is very undignified, " says the 80-year-old, "I don't want to become an old vegetable leaking on both ends, but my doctor tells me lung cancer will kill me first."

The term dementia is used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke and many other rarer conditions. Symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, confusion and problems with speech and understanding. Dementia sufferers may also feel sad, frightened or angry about what is happening to them.

In George's case, his loss of brain function is due to a series of small strokes, which were small enough not to be noticed at the time.

Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse, but how fast it progresses depends on the individual.

There are about 700,000 people in the UK with dementia and it affects mainly older people. However, it can affect younger people too. There are 15,000 people in the UK under the age of 65 who have it. Both men and women get dementia.

Drugs have been developed that can temporarily alleviate some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, and while none of the drugs available in the UK will cure dementia, they may stabilise some of the symptoms for a limited period of time. Dementia sufferers may also be prescribed a psychiatric drug to ease agitation and aggression.

If you need more information about dementia, there are many useful websites you can access, such as: www. alzheimers. org. uk www. fordementia. org. uk www. alzinfo. org www. nhsdirect. nhs. uk Find out where your nearest support group meets by ringing the Alzheimer's Society's North East area office on 0191 2173810.

LAST October, The Northern Echo launched its Don't Stop Dementia Drugs campaign. The aim is to support the Alzheimer's Society in its bid to overturn restrictions on a range of anti-dementia drugs.

Despite the opposition of sufferers, their families and virtually all their consutants, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) decided to restrict access to three drugs - Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl.

The Echo has passed on petitions and emails from more than 3,000 readers calling on the Department of Health to restore full access to the drugs.

For more information visit www. alzheimer's org. uk or ring the charity's hotline on 0845 30 60 898 during office hours.