Fear of dementia makes it worse

I felt a bit like a Daily Express headline writer, writing the subject line of this blog post.

But as the inspiration for this post came from The Telegraph, I should be on safe ground.

According to an article in The Telegraph, researchers have found that half of those with dementia are delaying for at least six months before they see a doctor.

Research carried out by the Alzheimer’s Society found 54% of those affected by dementia waited at least six months before seeking professional help.

One quarter waited for at least two years before seeking help from a doctor. 4% waited more than five years.

In many cases, families of those affected waited in order to avoid upsetting a loved one.

As a result of these delays, the charity warns that dementia was made worse as medication which can help ease symptoms is only effective in mild to moderate cases.

With the worldwide cost of dementia care now exceeding 1% of the world’s gross domestic product, dementia is effectively the 18th largest economy on the planet.

A growing elderly population means cases of dementia are expected to continue to rise and there is no prospect in sight for an effective cure.

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