A spike in dementia cases has been occurring across the United Kingdom, with a new survey conducted by Alzheimer's Research UK finding that women are predominantly taking the brunt of this epidemic, as both dementia sufferers and caretakers.
According to The Guardian, a UK news publication, this new round of research finds that not only are there over 500,000 British women currently suffering from dementia, compared to 350,000 men, but women are also more than twice as likely to care for other dementia patients than men are. As Hilary Evans, director of external affairs for Alzheimer's Research UK, tells the source, this finding presents a "triple whammy" wherein women are increasingly dying from dementia, assisting others suffering with dementia and exiting the dementia research field due to a luck of funding.
"Women are carrying the responsibility of care for their loved ones, only later to be living with the condition," the report states. "Women are dying from dementia but not before it has taken a considerable toll on minds and bodies. In the UK, dementia hits women the hardest."
As The Guardian notes, dementia has become more and more frequent over the last few years, leading to more seniors feeling the effects of disorientation, memory loss and an overall decline in brain health. While no single source has been proven to be behind this trend, many have pointed to improved longevity as a potential factor. More people are living longer than ever before, and women in particular live longer than men do on average, which in turn puts them at a greater risk of eventually coming down with dementia more than men.
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