More than 200,000 Greeks hit by dementia as numbers rise dramatically

Nearly 206,366 Greeks have been diagnosed with dementia, according to an international report released on Wednesday, World Alzheimer's Day 2022.

According to the forecasts, the number of people with dementia in Greece is expected to climb to 298,617 by 2050.

Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) said in its statement on Wednesday that "up to 85 percent of the over 55 million people living with dementia may not receive post-diagnosis care." Both ADI and the Panhellenic Federation of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders have called on governments to apply key healthcare programs following diagnosis.

"We don’t question whether people with cancer need treatment," ADI CEO Paola Barbarino said, "so why is it that when people receive a dementia diagnosis, they're often not offered treatment or care?

Repeatedly, they're just told to get their end-of-life affairs in order. Coupled with improving diagnosis rates, post-diagnosis dementia care must be recognised as a human right."

The "World Alzheimer Report 2021" includes over 50 essays by leading experts from around the world and is supported by findings from 3 key global surveys, which received responses from 1,111 clinicians, 2,325 people with dementia and carers, and over 100 national Alzheimer and dementia associations.

September has been designated by ADI as a world awareness month for Alzheimer's, dementia, and related disorders.