Jan 30

Call For More Dementia Funding

Matthew

Former prime minister David Cameron has called on the British government to allocate more funds to fighting dementia.

Speaking in his new role as president of charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, Mr Cameron said that the amount allocated for dementia should not be so far behind that set aside to tackle cancer and strokes.

He added that both these illnesses “deserve their funding”, but stressed that more needs to be done to tackle dementia in the UK.

“Dementia steals people’s lives, turns their relationships upside down, destroys their hopes and dreams. We owe it to them, their families and their carers to find a solution,” Mr Cameron stated.

According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, 850,000 people in the UK are currently living with dementia, and there are 700,000 of their loved ones acting as informal carers for them. The number of informal carers is expected to rise to 1.3 million by 2050.

People who are looking after relatives suffering from dementia may find making some modifications to their home can be useful. Installing an easy access shower, for example, is a small change but one that could make it easier to provide care and make the bathroom safer.

David Cameron made tackling dementia a personal priority during his time in Downing Street. He hosted the G8 dementia summit, and while he was still in office he launched a challenge on dementia 2020.

The aim of this scheme was to make the UK the best country in the world in terms of dementia care and support, as well as making it the best place to conduct research into dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.

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