No Dementia Cure, But Diagnosis Can Help
We may still be several years away from a cure for dementia, but experts are stressing how important early diagnosis is to improving the quality of life for sufferers.
Diagnosis, and awareness, of dementia was a hot topic at the Dementia 2012 Conference a few weeks ago. There are two very strong reasons for this:
- Much more is understood about dementia now, and with that understanding have come guidelines, products and services that can vastly improve the quality of life for sufferers.
- Dementia is a growing problem.
In fact, so big a problem that the slogal for the conference was “Dementia – A National Crisis.”
While 10,000 people per year are diagnosed with some form of dementia, it is estimated that this is only half of the number of actual sufferers, and that those who do get a diagnosis are patients who have been struggling with symptoms for many months, if not years.
Getting help earlier is key for dementia patients and their carers to gain the resources, support and education that they need to deal with the progression of the disease.
Andrew Chigley, of the Alzheimer’s Society says “It is terrible news to find out that you have dementia, but so many people tell us that, while it was bad news to receive a diagnosis, it is often a huge relief to know what is wrong with you so that you and your family can learn how to adapt to living with a life-changing condition.”
If you, or someone that you know has trouble remembering recent events, difficulty reasoning, often seems agitated and confused, or starts to become more clumsy than usual, then it’s time for a visit to your GP.
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