Copenhagen Municipality is running a campaign this week to raise awareness about dementia, with a special focus on recognising the early signs that a loved one might have it.
Some 300 new diagnoses are recorded in the municipality every year, and it is estimated that the number of cases will rise from 5,500 today to 6,500 by 2030, according to Nationalt Videnscenter for Demens.
The municipality is accordingly earmarking an extra 5.6 million kroner as part of its 2019 budget to convert nine care homes into ones specialising in looking after dementia patients.
Up to 60 percent of all the residents in nursing homes in Copenhagen suffer from dementia.
Focus on early diagnosis
An early diagnosis is important, says the NVD, because it enables early treatment through physical exercise and cognitive stimulation therapy, allowing sufferers to live a much longer normal life with the condition than they would have been able to without early help.
“Dementia is a terrible disease, and therefore we must talk about it,” said Sisse Marie Welling, the deputy mayor for health and care.
“The sooner you get a diagnosis, the better we can help you. Therefore, in our campaign we are encouraging Copenhageners to pay more attention to the signs of dementia.”
The Demensugen 2018 campaign will end on Saturday with an event at the new Center for Demens (Juliane Maries Vej 30, Cph N) from 10:00-14:00.
It has put together a list of the ten most obvious signs that somebody might have dementia (see below).
