Our speaker on Wednesday 18 January 2012 was Linda Matthews from the Alzheimer’s Society. Linda spoke from personal experience in her close family and quickly emphasised just how important this subject is for us all. As the number of people living into old age increases, we are all going to gain more experience of dementia, and Alzheimer’s is the commonest form of dementia (62%). At present there is no cure for Alzheimer’s and there is no treatment for the condition; only care for the patient. Currently there are estimated to be 750,000 sufferers of dementia, with 100,000 new sufferers each year. The cost of care is increasing annually, with the current cost of £17 billion expected to increase to £27 billion by 2018. With more new cases each year than cancer, heart disease and stroke combined, we spend less on research into dementia than each of these conditions. Harrow was analysed in detail, and we were told that we come close to the bottom of league in terms of diagnostic performance. Questions followed the talk with members of the Club adding their own experience of dementia in their families. This is a condition that needs powerful research to find treatments and to find cures, and the Club immediately made a donation to the cause. Alzheimer’s is one of President Pushpinder’s chosen charities and we hope to make a further donation before the end of the Rotary Year.
