Until Alzheimer’s disease has a cure – dementia experts are optimistic that will be soon – mitigating risk factors is key
- Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 70 to 80 per cent of all dementia in people over the age of 60
- Many in the early stages of dementia find it easier to blame somebody else – usually the carer - when they lose or forget things
Every day Google helpfully delivers specific news alerts to my inbox – including for “dementia”.
There are usually more than a handful of breaking news stories every day on the condition, with headlines such as “Consuming cranberries could improve memory and prevent dementia” and “Everything you need to stop doing to reduce your risk of dementia”.
Dementia is in the news because it’s big news: the number of those living with the condition is rising, including in Hong Kong.
Neuroscientist Professor Nancy Ip and her team at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology recently collaborated with the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, using data from its Data Collaboration Laboratory on the demographics and medication used in the city’s public hospitals from 2007 to 2017.
Based on public hospital data, there are more patients being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, with an increasing mortality rate. This aligns with many other studies conducted worldwide.
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia, a syndrome that involves brain changes that compromise cognition. Dr Bosco Ma of the Hong Kong Alzheimer’s Disease Association (HKADA) says it accounts for 70 to 80 per cent of all dementia in people over the age of 60.