Is Dementia becoming more common or less?

For the uninformed, Dementia is a set of symptoms and these symptoms vary greatly between the different forms of dementia. They include memory loss, confusion and mood swings. Alzheimer’s is the most well known form of it, causing two thirds of the total cases. Mostly people over the age of 65 are most prone to it. Hardly any under 65 would suffer from it. However, UK is worst hit by it and even in that population, 61% of people with dementia are females. This is, however, mostly because women tend to live longer than men. Better standards of living are causing more people to attain and die of dementia and its forms.

The amounts of death from dementia have doubled up in the past decade. A decade ago, there was only one death in 33 people with dementia as the underlying cause. It is being predicted that by the year 2021, one if eight of all th deaths taking place, could be due to this brain disease. In much clearer statistical terms, by 2021, about 12 per cent of all death will be due to dementia. In the current times, 800,000 people in United Kingdom (UK) are suffering with dementia and in this, about 500,000 from the common type of it, Alzheimer’s.

As dementia progresses, communication and language becomes difficult. Problems with sleeping and restlessness arise. Anxieties and phobias become way too common and their ability to think, remember and make decisions is highly effected. Violent behavioral changes have also been observed. As the stages of dementia progress to worsen the condition, anger management issues arise and gradually, the patients require help with daily routine work like eating, dressing and going to the toilet.

Recent headlines and statistics reveal that dementia has become the foremost cause of death in UK. All the figures are based on information from the Office for National Statistics. They have also pointed out that the fraction of people suffering from dementia is actually falling. The question is how can both scenarios be true?

As observed over years and generations, dementia is most common in the older age group, that is, an ageing population has a higher risk of developing it. Moreover, with advancements in health care, prevention from other diseases has increased, however now that the life expectancy has gone up, the chances of attaining dementia have also gone up! In other words, we are living longer and the occurrence of dementia increases exponentially with age.

Moreover, people might be suffering from dementia for the longest times, but the cause of death may not always be the same. The number of deaths registered under dementia has reduced. This is so because data collected shows the “underlying cause” of death to be different in most of the cases. For instance, tuberculosis or pneumonia, at such an elderly age reduces the survival chance.

Earlier only the main cause of death was recorded, while now the doctors are being encouraged to record dementia as well along with the main cause of death, if the person suffered from it. All the doctors can conclude only one thing. The longer you live, the easier it is to get dementia and even more easier, to die because of it.

The disease develops very slowly and the signs of it may not be very obvious to us. Many of its symptoms can be misinterpreted to be of another disorder. Also, some people just assume it to be signs of old age in most of the cases.

Alzheimer’s, common form of Dementia an frontotemporal dementia are all neurodegenerative diseases, that is, they get worse with time and destroy our brain/nerve cells. The progress of dementia in a person depends on their state of health. A very poor health might accelerate it and cause an early death.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for dementia. It is further enhanced by many progressive diseases. Some treatments might help for a while, with their effects temporary. They might not even work for everyone! These treatments can only give a short term relief from the symptoms and agitation. Despondently, no treatment can halt the underlying disease growth in the brain!