According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, the number of people with dementia is on a rapid increase.
What is dementia?
Dementia describes different brain disorders that trigger a loss of brain function. These conditions are all usually progressive and eventually severe.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting 62% of those diagnosed.
Other types of dementia include; vascular dementia affecting 17% of those diagnosed, mixed dementia affecting 10% of those diagnosed.
Symptoms of dementia include memory loss, confusion and problems with speech and understanding.
Dementia is a terminal condition.
Shocking Facts
Figures provided by the charity Alzheimer’s Society, predict that by 2025, one million people in the UK will be living with dementia and by 2050 this figure will have doubled.
Dementia affects 850,000 across the UK, some areas have a greater number of people living with dementia.
This is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
225,000 will develop dementia this year, that’s one every three minutes.
1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have dementia.
70% of people in care homes have dementia or severe memory problems.
There are over 42,000 people under 65 with dementia in the UK.
More than 25,000 people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in the UK are affected.
The Cost of Dementia
Two thirds of the cost of dementia is paid by people with dementia and their families.
Unpaid carers supporting someone with dementia save the UK economy £13.9 billion a year.
The total cost of care for people with dementia in the UK is £34.7 billion. This is set to rise sharply over the next two decades, to £94.1 billion by 2040.
The cost of social care for people with dementia is set to nearly treble by 2040, increasing from £15.7 billion to £45.4 billion.
Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life, ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke.
As a country we spend much less on dementia than on these other conditions.
There are an estimated 46.8 million people living with dementia and the numbers affected will double every 20 years, rising to 115.4 million in 2050.
Another 7.7 million people will develop dementia around the world every year.
The highest percentage area of population living with dementia is Christchurch and the lowest is Bradford.
Jeremy Hughes CBE, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society, added,
“People with dementia have the right to make choices about their care, just like anyone else.
Making someone they trust their attorney for health and welfare is one of the ways people can do this. Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney (LPAs) provide reassurance to them and the act of creating one can start useful conversations about the future with family and friends”.
Many living with dementia reach a point where they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves.
These shocking statistics have led to calls to ensure more people are aware of Lasting Power of Attorney (LAPs).
What is Lasting Power of Attorney (LPAs)
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that enables you to appoint a third party to handle your affairs, should you lose the capacity to make decisions for yourself.
This may be due to a brain injury, for example, or an illness such as dementia.
Crucially, this appointment can only be made when you are mentally fit and well. Leaving it too late can mean that trusted relatives and friends are powerless to make decisions for you.
If they cannot access your bank account for example, how will the mortgage / rent and other bills be paid?
Who would you prefer to make decisions about your medical care?
There are two types of LPA and you can appoint the same or different people for each category: Health and Welfare and Financial.
Many People with dementia will eventually reach a point where they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves- this is known as lacking ‘mental capacity’.
When this happens someone else often a carer or family member will need to make decisions on their behalf.
The research also shows that, while there are currently 12.8 million people over the age of 65 who run the risk of developing dementia, there are only 928,000 Health and Welfare LPAs presently registered with the office of the Public Guardian across England and Wales.
These statistics suggest that almost 12 million people at risk of future incapacity haven’t planned to ensure their wishes are followed.
Based on the predicted increase in dementia, by 2025 there will be 13.2 million people unprepared for the increased risk incapacity.
Commenting on the findings, Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, has advised that people set up an LPA well in advance.
“You can specify what decisions, you are happy for them on your behalf and you can also choose more then one attorney who could be a family member, a friend, spouse, partner or civil partner or a professional such as a solicitor”.
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that enables you to appoint a third party to handle your affairs, should you lose the capacity to make decisions for yourself.
Crucially, this appointment can only be made when you are mentally fit and well.
Leaving it too late can mean that trusted relatives and friends are powerless to make decisions for you.
Have you done yours?
Call us today to make an appointment to discuss your LPA