15/07/2026
Many people still think that dementia is just a natural part of ageing, that itโs only forgetting things, and that itโs something that only happens to old people.
But none of that is true.
Dementia is a medical condition caused by different diseases that damage the brain, including Alzheimerโs disease, vascular disease and Lewy body disease.
It has a wide range of symptoms including memory loss, confusion, needing help with daily tasks, problems with language, and changes in behaviour.
These symptoms are progressive, which means they may be relatively mild to begin with, but they get worse over time. Occasional forgetfulness, like misplacing your keys or getting the time wrong for an appointment, is different from dementia.
Dementia affects around a million people in the UK. Over 70,000 people living with dementia are under 65 โ this is called young onset dementia.
And importantly, dementia is different for everyone. No two individuals' experience of dementia will be the same. Different types of dementia also tend to affect people differently, especially in the early stages.
What do you wish more people understood about dementia?
