A report from Alzheimer’s Disease International has revealed that the number of elderly people requiring care is likely to rise to 277 million globally by 2050, nearly three times the current figure of 101 million.
The author of the report, Prof Martin Prince, from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, warns of a ‘global Alzheimer’s epidemic’. According to the World Health Organisation more than 35 million people live with dementia across the world with Alzheimer’s being the most common cause.
It currently costs the world more than £376 billion a year to treat and care for people with dementia, which includes the cost of health and social care along with loss of earnings.
Recommendations from the report include:
- Providing ‘appropriate financial awards’ for paid and unpaid carers; and
- Monitoring the quality of care provided in both care homes and the community.
A spokesperson from the UK Alzheimer’s Society has stated “Dementia is the biggest health crisis facing the world today. This report is a wake-up call to governments across the world about the immediate need to put in place more care and support. The UK government’s G8 summit on dementia will be a key opportunity to rally support from world leaders to tackle dementia together. We need to see political leadership to avoid a spiralling global crisis.”
