First weeks of new year see increased demand for charity’s expert advice on dementia, with 443 calls received on just one day!
In the fortnight since the start of January 2025, a record-breaking number of calls have been made to the Alzheimer’s Society’s support line which provides expert advice on dementia.
Photo by Joshua Hoehne
Callers have wanted to know about the signs and symptoms of dementia, as well as getting a diagnosis. There have also been enquiries from carers in need of additional respite and care home support.
There has been a marked increase in demand for the service, which launched in 2019. Calls received over the first weekend of this year exceeded those made over the first weekend of 2024, 2023 and 2022. On Monday, January 6, the support line received an unprecedented 443 calls.
In the past two years, calls to the support line during January have increased by 15%. The charity puts this down to what we might call a ‘Christmas effect’. Over Christmas, families and friends meet up and spend time together, where changes in behaviour might be spotted. Symptoms such as changes in mood, confusion, memory loss and problems with language and communication can be early signs of dementia.
Where someone already has a diagnosis of dementia, get-togethers over the festive period can highlight their changing care needs, which is in turn a reason for seeking further advice.
In addition, the charity is actively engaged in raising awareness of the importance of an early and accurate diagnosis, as well as in dispelling the commonly held myth that dementia is just part of getting old. On that basis, the increased volume of calls is a sign of success.
It looks as though the charity support line will continue to be busy this month, not least because of the new story unveiled last week in popular soap opera EastEnders, involving one character’s diagnosis of young onset dementia. (The BBC has been working on this story with experts from another chairty, Dementia UK.)
Kate Lee, Chief Executive Officer of the Alzheimer’s Society, says: ‘Christmas can be challenging in many ways, but particularly for those affected by dementia so more support and guidance is needed in the wake of the festivities. We help people make the most of life with dementia, supporting them through some of the hardest and most frightening times.
‘Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer with the realities often played out behind closed doors. With one in three people born today developing dementia, it has never been more crucial to shine a light on the condition and bring it out into the open.’
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