The perils of oblivion

Dementia

Nowhere in the world is ready to cope with the global explosion of dementia, writes Simon Long

Dementia

As humanity ages the numbers of people with dementia will surge

The world is ill-prepared for the frightening human, economic and social implications

The science

The search for a cure for dementia is not going well

But behavioural changes can reduce the risk of developing it

Care

The big question about dementia care is who is going to do it

The best care is “people-centred”, ie, labour-intensive

Going abroad

Might dementia tourism to lower-wage economies become a trend?

It will remain a niche market; but shows how the best care needs a lot of carers

Financing care

No country has found a sustainable way to finance dementia care

And most have not even tried

Ethics

Too often the basic rights of people with dementia are overlooked

But trying to respect them can raise painful ethical dilemmas

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