International charities unite for World Alzheimer's Day

With the number of people with dementia worldwide set to escalate to 81 million by 2040 there is no time to lose.

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, says,

'A hundred years on from the first description of Alzheimer's disease, people with dementia continue to be denied their basic rights to care and treatment. There are currently 750,000 people with dementia in the UK and this figure is set to rocket to nearly 1.3 million by 2040. If we plan ahead a future care crisis can be avoided. There is no time to lose; dementia must become a global health priority.'

In Britain, the current picture for people with dementia is bleak:

• People with dementia continue to have their basic rights denied by a care system that discriminates between health and personal care.
• The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) plans to deny people in the early and late stages of Alzheimer's disease access to drug treatments because of cost.
• Research is desperately under funded. The UK spends just £11 on research per person with dementia each year, compared to £289 per person with cancer. In a hundred years we have come along way but if we are to find a cure for dementia we must act now.
• The Alzheimer's Society has a number of initiatives throughout the country to celebrate World Alzheimer's Day.

Campaigns that will help people with dementia, include over 350 Memory Walks and the launch of a new website http://www.millionmemories.org.uk/. Celebrities, people with dementia and their carers will be speaking about the devastating effect dementia has had on their lives.

For further information, contact Gayle Wing, Alzheimer's Society press office.

Notes for editors

• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers.
• Over 750,000 people in the UK have dementia. More than half have Alzheimer's disease.
• Dementia affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80.
• For information and advice on Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia call the Alzheimer's Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336.