| Special Health and Well Being Scrutiny Committee ---
09 Mar 2010
More than a million people will suffer from dementia within 20 years, Government forecasts show.
The number of patients diagnosed with diseases such as Alzheimer's will rise by 70 per cent to more than 1.2 million by 2028.
Experts warn that there will be almost twice as many sufferers living in nursing homes. However, psychiatrists and charities say that not enough is being spent on research, treatment and care. One professor said he was "ashamed" by the state of the services on offer.
Dementia robs victims of their identities as memory, speech and understanding are lost.
Drugs such as Aricept, which slow the appearance of the symptoms of Alzheimer's, are restricted by the NHS because they cost £2.50 a day, despite being widely available in other countries.
A report by the Department of Health's Horizon Scanning Unit, seen by The Sunday Telegraph, sets out the timebomb facing Britain.
The number of people aged over 85 will have doubled by 2028, the research says. One in four will develop dementia. The number between 65 and 74 will also increase by 40 per cent and those aged 75 to 84 will rise by 50 per cent. The Alzheimer's Society charity said that the document's findings would mean an extra 500,000 people living with dementia. There are 700,000 at present. The cost of long-term care for dementia patients will more than triple to £17 billion.
Prof David Wilkinson, a psychiatric consultant, described the figures as "staggering". He called for urgent action to increase funding and research for Alzheimer's, the most common cause of dementia.
At present, £11 is spent on research into dementia for every sufferer in this country, compared with £289 for every cancer victim.
Mike and are members of the Alzheimers Society and dedicate some of time working with the campaign team to raise Dementia awareness.
Last year, I approached the chair of our Scrutiny committee so ask that Dementia was added to our work list to look at as a committee to see what we could do to help people in Darlington who live with the disease.
Hence, next weeks Special Meeting on Tuesday 16th March at 9.30am.
The meeting is open to the public and I would encourage attendance.
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