What is dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term for a number of progressive conditions affecting memory, thinking, problem-solving and language. It is caused by diseases which damage brain cells and interfere with the normal workings of the brain.
Everyone will experience dementia differently, depending on the cause, on which parts of the brain is affected as the condition progresses, and their own personality and circumstances.
Different types of dementia have different causes. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause, followed by vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and fronto-temporal dementia. There are a large number of less common causes of dementia and some people have more than one form at the same time, known as ‘mixed dementia’.
According to Alzheimer’s Research UK there are around 820,000 people living with dementia in the UK. The majority are older people, and incidence increases with age, with one in 20 over the age of 75, and one in five over the age of 85, affected. However it is possible for younger people to have dementia, and dementias that are diagnosed before the age of 65 are known as 'early-onset'.
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I learned that life goes on
How people in Wiltshire are living with dementia
Our impact
2,500
Beyond Dementia provides support and advice to 2,500 people in Wiltshire every year
328
Our support workers bring companionship and meaningful activities to 328 people living with dementia every week
188
People have a grand day out at our day clubs every week, while their families have a break from caring