Taken from the website https://www.dementiauk.org/

'Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of progressive conditions that affect the brain.

Each type of dementia stops a person’s brain cells (neurones) working properly in specific areas, affecting their ability to remember, think and speak.

Doctors typically use the word ‘‘dementia’’ to describe common symptoms – such as memory loss, confusion, and problems with speech and understanding – that get worse over time.

Dementia can affect a person at any age but it’s more common in people over the age of 65.

There are over 200 subtypes of dementia. The most common are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and mixed dementia.

By 2025, it’s estimated that over one million people in the UK will have a diagnosis of dementia – and almost all of us will know someone living with the condition.'

Delirium is not dementia, anyone is susceptible to delirium

Information taken from Dementia United | GMHSC (dementia-united.org.uk)

'Dementia United working in partnership with carers, family members and people with lived experience have created public facing resources providing advice for prevention, identifying the signs and getting help for a loved one with delirium.

Delirium is a common condition. It’s a sudden new confusion or worsening of a confusion or a new presentation of drowsiness. It mostly comes on as a result of an underlying medical or physiological cause.

People with delirium may experience disturbances in attention, awareness, increased confusion as well as changes in their sleep pattern and behaviour. It can come on over a couple of hours or days. It’s not a permanent illness. Delirium will usually improve once the underlying causes are treated, but sometimes it can last for a while.

Raising awareness about delirium is important in order to ensure that the person at risk or who goes on to develop delirium, gets the right care and treatment.'

Read more about delirium and top tips for carers or family members by following the link below.