More than 13,800 dementia sufferers living in Nottinghamshire, new survey reveals

The Alzheimer’s Society is now urging government to end what they say is an artificial divide between health and social care which disadvantages people with dementia and to commit to a successor to the Prime Minister’s Challenge on dementia which is due to end next May.

Dementia UK: The Second Edition, produced by London School of Economics and King’s College London for the charity provides the most comprehensive review of dementia in the UK to date.

It reveals that there are now 60,254 people living with dementia in the East Midlands and that there will be 850,000 people living with the condition in the UK by 2015, costing the UK £26 billion a year.

Despite these huge costs – two-thirds of which is shouldered by people with dementia, their carers and families – tens of thousands of people with dementia are still living without the right support to do everyday tasks like getting dressed, eating and going to the toilet.

Paul Dunnery, Alzheimer’s Society Operations Director for the Central Region said: “With more than 60,000 people living with dementia in the East Midlands and many more friends and family affected by the condition, it is vital the government takes action.

“We know that parts of the East Midlands are leading the way as some of the best performing areas for support after diagnosis.

“However, despite good progress, today’s research highlights the huge financial and human impact dementia is having.

“In the UK one person develops dementia every three minutes. We must do more to ensure that everyone living with dementia gets the care and support they need.”

More information about the reports is available on the Alzheimer’s Society website: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/dementia2014