Quick Facts for The Media

Who are Alzheimer Scotland and what do they do?

Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s leading specialist dementia charity and works to improve the lives of everyone affected by dementia. We provide information, support and a network of services and support groups from more than 60 sites around Scotland. We also campaign to improve public policies and services for people with dementia and their carers.

Our members, who are people with dementia, current and former carers, health and social care workers, plus community groups and organisations interested in dementia, share our aims:

  • to be the national voice of and for people with dementia and their carers;
  • to improve public policies for people with dementia and their carers;
  • to provide and secure the provision of high quality services both for people with dementia and for their carers.

We:

  • speak out for the rights and concerns of people with dementia and their carers;
  • operate services on over 60 sites throughout Scotland providing practical services such as day, evening and weekend centres, home care and befriending and carers’ support services;
  • provide the 24 hour national freephone Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000);
  • provide the website  www.alzscot.org;
  • support a network of over 40 carers’ support groups;
  • have a network of Dementia Advisors across Scotland;
  • have a Specialist Dementia Nurse programme;
  • publish leaflets, booklets, reports and a quarterly newsletter keeping carers and professionals up-to-date;
  • have a research programme.

What is Dementia?

  • Dementia is the progressive loss of the powers of the brain. There are many kinds of dementia but the most common is Alzheimer’s disease: around 60% of people with dementia have Alzheimer’s disease and 17% have vascular dementia. However, this is based on studies carried out in England – it is believed that vascular dementia may be more common in Scotland than previously thought.
  • Other kinds of dementia include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementias (including Pick’s disease) and alcohol-related dementias. It is also possible to have more than one type of dementia; for example Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. What all these diseases have in common is that they damage and kill brain cells, so that the brain cannot work as well as it should.

People in Scotland with dementia

  • In Scotland, around 80,00 people have dementia. It is most common in older people, but can affect people in their 40s or 50s or even younger. Approximately 2,500 people with dementia are under the age of 65
  • Approximately 7,000 people in Scotland are diagnosed with dementia every year.
  • Scotland’s population is aging, which will have a significant impact on the number of people with dementia.
For support and information contact the Dementia Helpline on 0808 808 3000