Alzheimer's Research Trust / Wiltshire's memory cafe

8.23.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 3rd Apr 2010

The Alzheimer's Research Trust is campaigning for dementia research. Earlier this year they launched a report which can be seen at www.dementia2010.org

The trust estimate that 820,000 people in the UK have dementia. The cost to the UK economy is £23billion each year - more than the costs of cancer and heart disease combined. However research on dementia gets relatively little funding - £50million from government and charitable sources as opposed to £590m for cancer research.

We spend more on cure than prevention - for every £10 spent on care costs just 5p is spent on research.

Despite this British scientists have led the fight against the disease, including the identification of the genetic background to Alzheimer's.

Liberal Democrats have supported an increase in dementia research funding. Paul Burstow MP recently said, "More funds are needed to enable scientists to research and understand dementia. Yet today for every pound spent on care, less than a penny is invested in research."

For more see www.alzheimers-research.org.uk

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People with dementia, their carers and families, are benefiting from an innovative memory cafe where care, support and advice is served up along with refreshments.

The monthly memory café is run by Alzheimer's Support and funded by Wiltshire Council. Its first session took place in Heywood, on Thursday July 9.

Alzheimer cafes started in the Netherlands and can now be found across the world including Australia and America.

Anna Littlechild, principal manager, Alzheimer's Support said "It was found that by talking about the condition, people with dementia and their families could better manage their own situation."

Anyone with dementia is welcome to come along and bring their family members with them.

Those attending the café can find out more about dementia in an informal atmosphere, meet others in a similar situation, find out how and where to get help and share ideas and tips about coping.

Alzheimer's Support is a local charity founded in 1990. It works with the council to provide a range of flexible specialist services, which give people with Alzheimer's and other dementias and their carers as much independence and control over their lives as possible.

To contact Alzheimer's Support call 01380 739055.

* Alzheimer's disease is the commonest cause of dementia, representing between half and three quarters of all cases. It is caused by chemical changes destroying cells and causing the brain to shrink. Dementia is a general term for the loss of memory, mental functioning, speech, language and reasoning.

* Around 1700 people in Wiltshire are currently diagnosed with dementia but it is estimated the real figure is three times this.