World Alzheimer’s Day 2020
World Alzheimer’s Day takes place every year on 21 September and is part of World Alzheimer’s Month. The theme for World Alzheimer’s Month in 2020 is ‘Let’s talk about dementia’.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder which affects multiple brain functions such as memory, learning, and other cognitive functions. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and according to Alzheimer’s Society an estimated 850,000 people are living with this condition in the UK.
Other kinds of dementia include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementias (including Pick’s disease) vascular dementia, and alcohol-related dementias. Some people can have more than one type of dementia, often referred to as ‘mixed dementia’. For example, they might have vascular dementia as well as Alzheimer’s or Lewy bodies with dementia.
At the moment Scientists and medical experts don’t fully understand what causes dementia. It is not a normal part of the aging process: changes that occur in the brain are different to the changes seen in normal ageing. These changes include the build-up of two proteins, where an abnormal protein surrounds brain cells and another protein damages their internal structure. As time goes on, chemical connections between brain cells (neurons) deteriorate, and eventually die. By the final stage of Alzheimer’s, damage is widespread, and brain tissue has shrunk significantly. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s at the moment.
Please join us to raise awareness of how Alzheimer’s impacts the lives of people affected by the condition during #WorldAlzMonth #LetsTalkAboutDementia and #MentalHealth
Useful organisations with advice and information:
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
https://careinfoscotland.scot/topics/care-at-home/dementia-services/