How many people in the Midlands have dementia?

Dementia is one of the fastest growing conditions in the UK, and it costs the country £26.3 billion a year.

As the number of people being diagnosed with a form dementia increases, so too does the emphasis on living well with the condition.

Government and charity initiatives are exploring ways to enable people living with dementia to support themselves safely in their community.

In our series we’ve been finding out what’s being done to help people with dementia thrive, and getting to know some of the people behind the label.

But first, here are some facts and figures.

• What is dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe the symptoms caused when some brain cells stop working. There are many different types, but the most common, and the most well-known, is Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dementia is a chronic condition, and there is no cure. The NHS recommends a healthy lifestyle to help reduce your risk of developing dementia, but it says there is no certain way to prevent yourself developing the disease.

It can affect the brain in many ways. Most people associate it with memory loss, but that is just one of many different symptoms, ranging from mood swings to loss of speech or mobility.

Dementia is one of the fastest growing conditions in the UK.

Last year there were estimated to be around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. Experts say this number is steadily increasing, and expect it to have exceeded one million by 2025.

• People living with dementia in the Midlands

Dementia is usually associated with older people. Although your likelihood of developing a form of dementia increases as you age, there is an increasing number of people being diagnosed under the age of 65.

Around 5% of people living with dementia in the Midlands are under the age of 65.

If you’re worried about yourself or someone you know you can contact the Alzheimer’s Society.