World Alzheimer's Month - September 2016
World Alzheimer’s Month 2016
September 2016 will mark the 5th global World Alzheimer’s Month campaign - an international campaign to raise awareness for dementia and challenge stigma. Throughout the month Alzheimer's associations and other stakeholders organise advocacy and information events, as well as Memory Walks, media appearances and fundraising days. The impact of this campaign is growing, but the stigmatisation and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global issue.
The theme for this year’s World Alzheimer’s Month campaign is Remember Me.
We’re encouraging people all around the world to understand the importance of memory as a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, not to forget about loved ones who are living with the disease or who may have passed away.
Lundbeck is pleased to support the World Alzheimer’s Month as an official global sponsor. Follow the conversation on Twitter: #WAM2016 and #RememberMe
World Alzheimer’s Month
World Alzheimer Report 2016
(1.63 MB)
Worldwide, 36 million people have dementia. Perhaps as many as 28 million of the world’s 36 million people with dementia have yet to receive a diagnosis and, therefore, do not have access to treatment, information and care.9
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 50–70% of cases.10 Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder, in which the brain gradually degenerates. It most frequently occurs in people aged above 65–70 years. People with Alzheimer’s disease develop distressing changes in memory, thought, function and behaviour, which worsen over time. These changes increasingly impact upon the person’s daily life, reducing their independence, until ultimately they are entirely dependent on others.8
Alzheimer’s disease also has an enormous impact on the patient’s caregiver. Most caregivers are close relatives who provide care in the home – a demanding and exhausting role that represents a huge emotional and physical burden.8
Every year, an estimated 4.6 million new cases are identified. With the shift towards an increasingly elderly population, it is predicted that the number of people affected by dementia will almost double every 20 years, and by the year 2050, 115 million people will have the condition.9
The worldwide costs of dementia (US$604 billion in 2010) amount to more than 1% of gross domestic product (GDP).(2) By 2018, the global cost of dementia will have increased to $818 billion, making the disease one of the most significant health crises of the 21st century.11
Our correspondent’s highlights from the symposium are meant as a fair representation of the scientific content presented. The views and opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of Lundbeck.
