More than half of all dementia sufferers in the South West are undiagnosed, with rates of diagnosis being as low as 35% in rural Devon.
As someone who cared for my Mother who had dementia when I was a teenager, I am acutely aware of the importance in diagnosing the disease early.
Early diagnosis means the patient can get the treatment he or she needs and the family or carers support in a situation which can be very tough and isolating.
Late diagnosis is a particular problem for a region like ours with a large elderly population and retired people who may live a long...
The House of Lords Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change today publishes its report ‘Ready for Ageing?’ which takes an unprecedented, comprehensive look at the implications of a rapidly ageing population for a wide range of public services.
In response to the report Baroness Greengross, Chief Executive of the International Longevity Centre UK ( ILC-UK ) said:
“Our society is in denial of the inevitability of ageing. We have put off the difficult decisions for far too long.
"The Public Service and Demographic Change Committee argues that there has been a...
Police are warning the public regarding a national scam involving investment in rare earth metals.
Police in Devon & Cornwall have recently become aware of a fraud whereby following a ‘cold call’ vicitms are persuaded to invest substantial amounts of money in rare earth metal oxides.
The investment potential is either hugely exaggerated or it involves a worthless commodity.
The victim tends to be elderly and contact is usually made by telephone and following pressurised selling, considerable amounts of personal savings are deposited into seemingly bone fide...
Famous faces from across the Westcountry including Ann Widdecombe and Angela Rippon are backing this year’s Surviving Winter Appeal which is being coordinated locally by Devon Community Foundation. The campaign, which has recently been launched, will help thousands of vulnerable and older people affected by fuel poverty this winter.
Ann Widdecombe, who has supported the campaign for many years said, “I will be among the first to donate my Winter Fuel Payment to the Surviving Winter Appeal. This small gesture is such an easy and obvious way to support local people in real need and I...
As we get older, we react differently to the cold and become much more vulnerable during the winter months. Many are not aware of the serious effects the cooler temperatures can have on an elderly person’s health, such as increasing the chance of chest infections, as well as related health problems including heart attacks, strokes and pneumonia. In fact, in a recent article, Professor Mike Tipton of the University of Portsmouth, revealed that deaths among elderly people increase by around one per cent for every 1C drop in temperatures below 20C. With this in mind, the Heating Installer...
