Stats

• The number of people with dementia globally is estimated to be 46.8 million. Currently, this is greater than the total population of Spain and is projected to nearly triple by 2050.^[1]
• In 2015 in the UK an estimated 850,000 people were living with dementia, of whom 40,000 were aged under 65 (younger people with dementia) and 25,000 were from black and minority ethnic groups in the UK.
• By 2051 there will be an estimated 2 million people living with dementia in the UK.
• A third of babies born today will develop dementia in their lifetime.
• Two thirds of people with dementia are women.
• One in six people aged 80 and over have dementia.
• 225,000 people will develop dementia this year, that’s one every three minutes.
• Two thirds of people with dementia live in the community while one third live in care homes where 80 per cent of residents have a form of dementia.
• Dementia is the leading cause of death amongst women and the third leading cause of death in men.
• The financial cost of dementia to the UK is £26 billion per annum.
• There are 670,000 carers of people with dementia in the UK.
• In 2015 only 44% of people with dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received a diagnosis of dementia.^[2]
• 72% of people living with dementia also have another medical condition or disability.
• A quarter oof hospital beds are occupied by people living with dementia who are over 65.
• 39% of people under 60 years and 52% of people 60 years and above said that Alzheimer’s is the disease they are most concerned about. It is the most feared disease for people 60 years and above.^[3]
• Dementia is ‘young onset’ when it affects people of working age, usually between 30 and 65 years old. It is also referred to as ‘early onset’ or ‘working-age’ dementia.
• It is estimated that there are 42,325 people in the UK who have been diagnosed with young onset dementia. (Ref Dementia UK, 2nd edition 2014, Alzheimer’s Society).  They represent around 5% of the 850,000 people with dementia.^[4]

^[1] Alzheimer’s Research UK – Statistics about dementia
^[2] Alzheimer’s Society – Dementia UK Report
^[3]  Alzheimer’s Research UK – Statistics about dementia
^[4] Young Dementia UK – Young onset dementia facts and figures

Organisations

Alzheimer’s Society believe passionately that life doesn’t end when dementia begins. They are there for anyone affected by dementia, and are committed to keeping people with dementia connected to their lives and the people who matter most.

Dementia Friends is a programme, led by Alzheimer’s Society. It is the biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia, aiming to transform the way the nation thinks, acts and talks about the condition.

Dementia Action Alliance is for organisations across England to connect, share best practice and take action on dementia. Members include leading charities, hospitals, social care providers, Government bodies, pharmaceuticals, royal colleges, and wellbeing organisations.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity, dedicated to causes, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Backed by scientists and supporters, they are challenging the way people think about dementia, uniting big thinkers in the field and funding innovative science that will deliver a cure.

Age UK‘s vision is to make the UK a great place to grow older, by inspiring, supporting and enabling in a number of ways.

Young Dementia UK is the dedicated national charity for younger people with dementia and their families.  They are committed to helping those affected to continue to live life, by providing support, social events and information.

Arts 4 Dementia develop arts programmes to empower, re-energise and inspire people with early-stage dementia and carers through challenging artistic stimulation, to help them live better for longer in their own homes.

Creative Dementia Arts Network create challenges and possibilities connecting artists, arts organisations and cultural institutions with commissioners of creative arts for dementia.

Created Out of Mind is aiming to explore, challenge and shape perceptions and understanding of dementias through science and the creative arts.

DEEP (Dementia Empowerment and Engagement Project) brings together groups of people with dementia from across the UK. DEEP supports these groups to try to change services and policies that affect the lives of people with dementia.

Innovations in Dementia’s work supports people with dementia to keep control of their lives, by running innovative projects, providing a training and consultancy service and influencing how others work with people with dementia.