The Isle of Wight has the joint highest average yearly increase of people on the dementia register per 10,000 people.
Between 2014 and 2019 there was an 80 per cent change in the number of Isle of Wight residents on the dementia register.
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However, some parts of the UK have seen the number of people diagnosed with dementia more than double in five years, analysis of NHS data shows.
Latest figures show there were around 508,000 people on the dementia register of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A drive to increase diagnosis rates and an ageing population were behind the increase, experts said.
Isle of Wight figures
In March 2019 there were 1,822 people on the Isle of Wight on the dementia register, whereas in 2014 the figure was 1,014.
This is an average yearly increase per 10,000 of the population of 12 – holding joint first place with South Lincolnshire in the Midlands.
Harrison-Dening: Hit or miss care
Dr Karen Harrison-Dening, head of research and publications at Dementia UK said,
“Care at the moment is very hit or miss. There are no standardised services across the country so it is still very much a postcode lottery as to what care and support you might receive.
“We rely heavily on families to care for their loved ones themselves. They bear the brunt of the care and they bear the brunt of the financial burden. It has been likened to an extra financial tax for people with dementia.”
Banerjee: “What is good for your heart is good for your head”
Professor Sube Banerjee, executive dean at Plymouth University’s Faculty of Health, professor of dementia and old age psychiatrist said,
“Dementia is a syndrome caused by a number of illnesses, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s. There are a number of causes of dementia, including vascular dementia which is caused by problems with the blood vessels and circulation in the brain.
“What we’ve found is that what is good for your heart is good for your head. Having a healthy diet, stopping smoking, treating diabetes well and regular exercise all help to prevent it.”
NHS England: Beating the target we set ourselves
A spokesperson for NHS England said,
“Spotting dementia in a timely way means people get the care they need, when they need it, so it’s good news that thanks to concerted efforts nationally and locally the NHS is now diagnosing more people than ever before, beating the target we set ourselves.
“As the population ages, dementia is becoming a challenge for more families, which is why the NHS Long Term Plan sets out a blueprint for older people’s care and makes early diagnosis and treatment for major health problems a top priority.”
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