Most people with dementia have yet to receive a diagnosis, according to the 2016 World Alzheimer Report.
The researchers from King’s College London and the London School of Economics show that while dementia affects 47 million people worldwide, currently only half of those in high income countries and one in ten or less in low and middle income countries have received a diagnosis.
The report calls for changes in the way healthcare is delivered to people living with dementia with a rebalancing toward non-specialist primary care. It also emphasizes that care must be holistic, continuous and integrated with a focus on quality of life.
“We have just 10-15 years to get this right, planning and implementing a realistic and robust platform for delivering dementia healthcare for all, in advance of any new and more effective treatments becoming available,” said lead author Professor Martin Prince from King’s College.
The report includes an analysis of existing care models in Canada, China, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Switzerland.
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