This terrifying killer of women we must tackle

FIGURES showing that dementia is now the leading cause of death among Scottish women are disturbing.

Health campaigners have been warning for years that Scotland is sitting on a ‘dementia time bomb’ thanks to the country’s ageing population.

Given that the latest statistics show that deaths from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease have risen by 33 per cent since 2014, that bomb now appears to have exploded.

The reason more women are now dying of dementia appears to be because, quite simply, they live longer. But life is not just about length, but quality.

As time passes these figures are only going to rise. We must ensure that for those struck down by this terrible, incurable disease, adequate care is provided.