Eighty percent of the public thinks dementia is a normal part of aging, meaning the need for a correct diagnosis and care for people with the condition is possibly being neglected, a survey by the international advocacy group Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) has found.
The survey, released ahead of World Alzheimer’s Day on Saturday, also showed that 65% of medical and care professionals held the same view. It collected responses from 40,000 people across 116 countries, including Japan.
“We need our healthcare professionals to more readily understand that dementia is a medical condition caused by a set of diseases, Alzheimer’s being the most prevalent, so that a correct diagnosis can be given, opening the door for a combination of treatments, care, and support that can enable people to live well for longer, to remain at work, at home, and in the community,” ADI CEO Paola Barbarino said in a statement.
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