21/09/2010

Dementia Crisis Costs Hitting Hard

A new study has revealed how Dementia will cost economies more than £388bn this year.

The findings, released to coincide with World Alzheimer's Day, warned how various forms of the condition would increase financial harm.

The World Alzheimer Report 2010, carried out by the Swedish based Karolinska Institute and London's King's College, reported that the number of people with dementia will double by 2030 - and more than triple by 2050. It also revealed that if the cost of dementia care was a country, it would be the world's 18th biggest economy.

Chairwoman of Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), Dr Daisy Acosta, called on the world's political leaders to take action, commenting: "This is a wake-up call that Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are the single most significant health and social crisis of the 21st century.

"World governments are woefully unprepared for the social and economic disruptions this disease will cause."

UK reports suggest that although dementia is one of the costliest illnesses - investment is substantially lower in comparison to other major illnesses.

The study praises the ongoing work in France, Australia and England and urges governments to construct long-term plans for dealing with, what is known as the most significant health and social crisis in the world.

(BMcN)

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