In September 2019, Alzheimer’s Disease International released their latest World Alzheimer Report. The report examines attitudes to dementia, based on survey responses from almost 70,000 people across 155 countries and territories. The report reveals that stigma around dementia is preventing people from seeking the information, advice, support, and medical help that could dramatically improve their length and quality of life.

Some of the key findings of the report include:

• Almost 80% of the general public are concerned about developing dementia at some point and 1 in 4 people think that there is nothing we can do to prevent dementia
• 35% of carers across the world said that they have hidden the diagnosis of dementia of a family member
• Over 50% of carers globally say their health has suffered as a result of their caring responsibilities even whilst expressing positive sentiments about their role
• Almost 62% of healthcare providers worldwide think that dementia is part of normal aging
• 40% of the general public think doctors and nurses ignore people with dementia

The number of people living with dementia is forecast to more than triple, from over 50 million currently, to 152 million by 2050.