Today is World Alzheimer’s Day, an international campaign to raises awareness and champion the rights of people with dementia.

As many as 46.8 million people are currently living with dementia, according to the latest figures from the Alzheimer’s Society. This number is expected to treble by 2050, growing with the aging population.

Dementia is a syndrome, a set of symptoms, that is often associated with problems in memory, understanding, thinking, language and judgement. These symptoms are progressive, so get worse over time.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting more than 500,000 people in the UK last year. The disease is associated with ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ that develop in the brain, killing brain cells.

Today many people have took to social media to share their own experiences and stories about loved ones affected by dementia.

Click here to read an article on massage and dementia, featured in issue 97 of International Therapist. In this article, 2012 FHT Excellence in Practice award winner, Nicolle Mitchell, MFHT, explains how a combination of time, touch and appropriate communication can improve the well-being of those affected by dementia.