According to the Office for National Statistics, dementia was the leading cause of death in England and Wales last year, accounting for 65,967 deaths, or 11.4% of the total, up from 10.4% in 2021. The National Health Service reckons that 940,000 people in Britain are living with the condition. Many need care, either in their own homes or in residential facilities. Graham Stokes, director of dementia care at HC-One, a care-home provider, says 75% of its beds are filled by people with dementia.
Yet to the frustration of many, the issue seems to have sunk down the government’s list of priorities. It may feel that the problem is less acute than once feared. New drugs are offering hope for those with Alzheimer’s, the most common cause of dementia, that the incurable disease’s progress can at least be slowed. Evidence is mounting that the risk of developing dementia can be sharply reduced by lifestyle changes that are being encouraged anyway—giving up smoking and excessive drinking, exercising, eating and sleeping well, and so o