Why we need to make dementia the priority it should be

Kate Lee

CEO, Alzheimer’s Society

There’s no way to sugarcoat it – dementia devastates lives. One in three people born in the UK today will get dementia, and it’s the UK’s biggest killer.

There are currently 900,000 people living with the condition, and that number is set to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

Dementia care crisis

Dementia diagnosis rates hit a five-year low during the pandemic and have stagnated ever since, leaving tens of thousands of people unable to access the support they need.

There are currently no treatments available to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia. This is causing immense stress and anxiety for family carers, who are often the primary caregivers for people with dementia. It is no wonder that people over 50 say that dementia is the condition they are most concerned about.

Tackling dementia head-on

The picture of dementia may seem bleak, but we cannot bury our heads in the sand. This colossal challenge will not go away on its own. We must make dementia a priority and tackle it head-on. We need to get everyone talking about this major health issue.

Alzheimer’s Society is at the forefront of this fight. We are making progress and believe we are on the cusp of better outcomes for people affected by dementia. We need to continue to invest in research, raise awareness, and provide support to those affected. Together, we can make a difference.

The Government has recognised the scale of the dementia problem and has included it in its Major Conditions Strategy.

Government action

The Government has recognised the scale of the dementia problem and has included it in its Major Conditions Strategy. Alzheimer’s Society is working with policymakers to ensure that the plans are ambitious and that people living with dementia have a voice.

Thanks to a £5 million award from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Alzheimer’s Society, along with Alzheimer’s Research UK and the NIHR, have launched the Blood Biomarker Challenge. This will gather the information needed to introduce a blood test for dementia into UK healthcare systems. A blood test would be a crucial step in speeding up diagnosis and early intervention.

Hope for Alzheimer’s patients

After 20 years without any new Alzheimer’s disease drugs approved in the UK, two potential drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, have shown promise in slowing the progression of the disease. These drugs work by targeting amyloid plaques, which are thought to be a key factor in Alzheimer’s development. If approved, these drugs could represent a breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s. We vow not to rest until we have a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.