Charities

MoneySpinners 2011 Charity

This year the Moneyspinners have chosen The Alzheimer's Society as its designated charity.

Alzheimer's or dementia is one of the most frightening and yet most common diseases affecting our society today. In England alone, there are currently 600,000 people living with dementia. That number is expected to more than double over the next 20 years. One in five of us will suffer from dementia. The older you get, the more likely you are to develop it. Dementia is slightly more common in women than in men. In essence Alzheimer's robs you of your personality, the brain declines and impacts memory, thinking, language, understanding and judgement. All of us taking part in the charity cycle this year have been touched by dementia in some way - some of us have parents or grandparents who have died or our suffering from the disease, others have friends who are afflicted or know of someone who is. Most you reading this are probably in a similar situation. It's something we all fear.

People with dementia often become apathetic, have problems controlling their emotions or behave inappropriately in social situations. It is painful and bewildering for the sufferer. It is equally painful and bewildering for family and friends. It ravages and then destroys the person you love but the person remains alive so you can't really mourn.

As the disease progresses, people with Alzheimer's need more support from those who care for them. Eventually, they will need help with all their daily activities and often end up in nursing homes.

While there are some common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, it is important to remember that everyone is unique. No two people are likely to experience Alzheimer's disease in the same way.

So far, no one single factor has been identified as a cause for Alzheimer's disease. It is likely that a combination of factors, including age, genetic inheritance, environmental factors, lifestyle and overall general health, are responsible. In some people, the disease may develop silently for many years before symptoms appear. There is no cure - only some drugs which can alleviate the symptoms. More research is required.

The Alzheimer's society is a membership organisation, which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Alzheimer's Society staff and volunteers provide both local information and over 2,000 services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to people affected by dementia in their communities. Their local services include day care and home care for people with dementia, as well as support and befriending services to help partners and families cope with the demands of caring.

The Society provides reliable and up to date information to help with every aspect of living with dementia: from understanding diagnosis and assessment to dealing with the financial challenges you may encounter.

Every year around £2 million is invested in a research programme. This money funds important research that will help to improve the quality of life for people with dementia, by tackling questions related to the causes of dementia, investigating good practice in care and treatment, and pursuing a cure.

There is a national help line and you can also access a wide range of information through the Alzheimer's society website, and learn from the experiences of other carers or people with dementia through the online support network, Talking Point

Alzheimer's Society national dementia helpline: 0845 300 0336 Monday-Friday 8.30am-6.30pm

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk