A recent survey carried out by the Alzheimer’s Society* shows that the number of people with dementia in Bath and North East Somerset is set to increase by up to 25 per cent in the next 10 years.
Results suggest that while currently there are an estimated 2461 people with dementia living in the Bath area, by 2012 this number will have reached 3074.
Home Instead Senior Care in Bath specialises in the care of older people in their own homes and has a number of clients living with dementia. Lenny Elcoat, owner of the Bath office is particularly passionate about delaying the onset of the disease by early diagnoses and believes people need to be extra-vigilant in trying to spot any early warning signs.
Lenny commented: “Our caregivers are in a good position to spot the early warning signs of dementia. Signs to look out for include: a decline in memory such as forgetting names of friends or familiar objects, a decline in reasoning and communication skills, feeling angry or upset about being forgetful and the gradual loss of skills needed to carry out daily activities.”
The Alzheimer’s Society’s survey results show that by delaying the onset of dementia by 5 years, deaths directly attributable to dementia would reduce by 30,000 per year.
This is even more significant when considering that by 2021 there will be one million people with dementia in the UK which is set to rise to over 1.7 million by 2051.
Lenny continued: “We recommend that anyone who suspects that they or a loved one may be showing any of these signs should speak to a GP as soon as possible.”
If you or a loved one is affected by dementia and would like to find out more about the at-home support offered by Home Instead in Bath, please call: 01225 430450 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/bath.
