Cambridge charity Alzheimer’s Research UK launches first major awareness campaign

  

A Cambridge-based national charity launches its first major awareness campaign today to highlight the challenge of Alzheimer's disease and the urgent need for greater investment in dementia research.

For the first time in its 21-year history, Alzheimer's Research UK has delivered a national advertising campaign to appear on major TV channels and at cinemas across the UK throughout June.

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War declared on dementia in major drive to find a cure

A major campaign is being launched today demanding more investment in research into dementia.

Some 850,000 people in the UK live with the illness, including around 70,000 in Yorkshire.

But the condition is expected to take a far greater toll in years to come as the population ages, putting an increasing burden both on carers and the NHS.

In a survey today, the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK found nearly half of over-55s believed dementia was the biggest medical challenge facing the UK.

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Dementia research gets 13 times less funding than cancer, figures show

Despite the huge burden of dementia far less money is spent research a cure for the devastating condition than researching cancer treatments.

Dementia research gets 13 times less funding than cancer even though the cost to society is far greater, Oxford University has found.

Treating and caring for cancer patients currently costs Britain around £5 billion a year, but the bill for dementia is £11 billion.

Yet despite the huge burden of dementia just 8p is spent on researching new treatments for each £10 spent looking after people with the condition. In contrast, cancer research receives £1.08, more than 13 times more.

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Daring skydive in aid of Dementia UK

A plucky parent is planning to leap 10,000ft out of a plane to raise money for a charity close to her heart.

Mum-of-two Sally Elms, of Kirton Holme, will take to the skies over Peterborough in June to support Dementia UK.

“As a Dementia friend I am trying to raise awareness of this cruel, progressive disease by doing a tandem skydive on June 20,” said Sally, 49.

“Dementia UK is a charity close to my heart after 
having my mum diagnosed 
several years ago with 
vascular dementia and also losing an uncle to Alzheimer’s just over a year ago.”

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Dementia patients 'face unfair care tax'

Dementia patients in the UK face a "care tax" because they are left to sort out much of the care they need themselves, experts say.

The Alzheimer's Society found that on average, the equivalent of £32,242 a year was spent on care per patient.

But the researchers said on average only a third - £10,784 - came from NHS or council funds, leaving a shortfall.

The charity said it was unfair as those with cancer or heart problems got their care free on the NHS.

The research - carried out by the London School of Economics and Kings College London - was carried out to update figures compiled by the charity in 2007.

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Dementia signage and visual aids are crucial within care homes

For adults experiencing memory loss, the ability of the brain to remain visually engaged with interior surroundings is well documented as being crucial for enhancing daily living potential.

As outlined by University of Stirling research, “The care environment can be made more supportive and enabling with quite simple additions. The first is to make sure that what is important is highly visible.”

Nostalgic advertising

Inspired to make such an impact by drawing upon their strong company heritage, the worldwide-recognised food brand Nestlé has produced a range of reminiscence packs as an example of how care environments can be enhanced to inspire memory and nostalgia.

Compelled by voices within the care sector, the company has teamed up with the Alzheimer’s Society and produced a range of prints that will remind many older people of past decades.

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Training in care homes reduces prescription of harmful anti-psychotics to people with dementia by a third

An innovative training programme for care home staff has cut the use of inappropriate anti-psychotic drugs, which double the risk of death in people with dementia, by a third.

This is according to research commissioned by Alzheimer's Society and launched today (Thursday 3 July 2014).

Over 100 care homes were recruited to receive the Focused Intervention Training and Support (FITS) programme – which equips staff to understand complex behaviours in people with dementia and to deliver person-centred care as an alternative to harmfulantipsychotics. When medication was reviewed, residents were more alert, communicative and active, with improvements in mobility, eating, sleeping and in achieving personal goals.

Around 90 per cent of people with dementia will experience behavioural and psychological symptoms at some point. Often, people in care homes experiencing these symptoms are prescribed antipsychotic drugs as a first resort. For someone with dementia, antipsychotic drugs can worsen dementia symptoms, double the risk of death, treble the risk of stroke and can leave people unable to walk and talk.

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Dementia sufferers are ‘cut adrift’ after diagnosis warning

Dementia patients are being “cut adrift” after diagnosis, a charity has warned, with one patient claiming they received no more support than if they had been suffering tonsillitis.

The Alzheimer’s Society said there was a “desperate shortage” of information for people following diagnosis, and raised concerns that some patients were receiving news of their condition in hurried, insensitive consultations.

In a survey of nearly 400 people affected by dementia, the charity found one in five were given no information or support after diagnosis, while 90 per cent said they were “dissatisfied” with the amount of advice they received about their condition and support services. The charity also warned over diagnosis rates for dementia, which remain “unacceptably” low, despite small rises since David Cameron made improved dementia diagnosis a priority two years ago.

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PM boosts dementia research as early onset could be three times more common than thought

Early onset dementia could be three times more common than had been thought.

Some 17,000 under-65s are recognised to suffer from it and even those in their 20s can become victims.

The figures, from the Alzheimer’s Society, come as charities say another 34,000 may have been misdiagnosed or not suspect they have dementia.

It is often confused with depression or the menopause.The warning comes as Prime Minister David Cameron announced a £100million boost for dementia research this week in partnership with ­Alzheimer’s Research UK.

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Technology could help people with dementia remain in their homes

Voting for dementia in the Longitude Prize could help revolutionise care.



Dementia affects an increasing number of people: in 2012, 800,000 people in the UK had a form of dementia. The cost to the British economy, estimated at £23bn a year by the Alzheimer's Society, is now greater than cancer, strokes and heart disease combined. Finding a solution that can both alleviate the pressures on society and allow people with dementia to live with dignity is crucial; this is why it should win the public vote to decide the focus of the Longitude prize 2014.

Recent stories in the media about the quality of care provided to the elderly have highlighted that there is still a lack of understanding and even empathy when caring for those with dementia. The Care Quality Commission has shown that care across England is patchy at best and in need of improvement. With the NHS struggling to cope with increasing numbers of people with dementia, a greater burden is being placed on the role of family carers in providing support.

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Dementia Awareness Week 2014 - Don't bottle it up

Dementia Awareness Week 2014, will run from 18 - 24 May.

If you're worried that you, or someone close to you, may have dementia, it can be difficult to talk about. You may feel scared, confused or even ashamed. You may also be hoping that the problem will go away so you don't have to deal with it.

That's why this Dementia Awareness Week is all about opening up. We want anyone who's concerned about dementia to stop bottling it up and to talk to Alzheimer's Society.

Throughout the week there will be national and regional press coverage, awareness-raising and fundraising events across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and a national advertising campaign.

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Alzheimer's disease health centre

Dementia care improvements.

The government has announced improvements in dementia care in England, including faster diagnosis and more research funding.

NHS England will invest £90 million with the aim of diagnosing two-thirds of people with dementia by March 2015.

Of the 800,000 people living with dementia, the Alzheimer's Society says less than half have the diagnosis they need to get support, information and potential treatments.

In some areas it currently takes up to 25 weeks to carry out diagnostic assessments for dementia, while other manage this in 6 weeks on average.

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New global partnership aims to accelerate dementia drug discovery

Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) are offering up to $1.5 million to new research projects which could speed up developing treatments for Alzheimer's and dementia.

The international collaboration could help make the hope of finding effective dementia treatments within the next 10 years a reality.

Focusing on drug repurposing and repositioning, the new call for proposals aims to take drugs that already exist for other conditions and develop them as dementia treatments. Currently it can take up to 20 years and around a billion dollars to develop a new drug from scratch, but by using existing drugs, the partners hope to deliver treatments far sooner and at a fraction of the cost.

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