Dementia helpline calls double in a decade

● Call numbers increase by 10% to 320,000 as more people seek help

The number of crisis calls to the Alzheimer’s Society dementia helpline have more than doubled in the last decade.

The charity say calls have reached 320,000 with 45,000 requests for help being answered in 2018.

Around 120 calls were made each day last year, with a 10 per cent increase year on year since 2009.

The figures have been released for the leading dementia charity’s Christmas campaign, which aims to raise funds to help keep the Dementia Helpline open.

As well as calls to Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Helpline escalating, people coping with the difficulties of a dementia diagnosis are turning to the charity at all hours.

Last year alone, there were around 1.5 million night visits to the charity’s website from 12:00am to 7:00am.

Despite Christmas usually being a time of increased support, with people surrounded by friends and family, the festive season can be a particularly challenging and isolating time for people affected by dementia, as it can lead to a break in familiar routines.

Last Christmas, there were around a quarter of a million unique page views of Alzheimer’s Society’s support and advice pages. Around 50,000 of these visits were on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Sandy Sweet, 60, described how Alzheimer’s Society helped after her mother was diagnosed with dementia.

She said: “I first phoned Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Helpline when Mum was diagnosed, soon after Christmas.

“My parents and brother came to visit, and we always used to have a big Christmas

Eve party. I noticed something was wrong because my Mum didn’t recognise my friends, even though she knew them well.

“When I was told about Mum’s diagnosis,

I didn’t know what to do, or where to go. I found the Dementia Helpline number, where I was able to talk through all my questions and get invaluable advice about current drug treatments.”

Last year alone, the charity dealt with a spike of over two fifths (42 per cent) between December 2018 (2,840 calls) and January 2019 (4,040 calls) to its Dementia Helpline, with calls from concerned friends and relatives acting on differences in behaviour in loved ones noticed during the festive season.

Around 1,500 people called for help during the Christmas period.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Until we find a cure, we want everyone affected by dementia to know that whoever you are and whatever you are going through, you can turn to Alzheimer’s Society for support, help and advice.

“Far too many people affected by dementia are reaching crisis-point, feeling abandoned with nowhere to turn. It’s no wonder that we’re seeing upsurges in calls for help to our Dementia Helpline and visits to our online community and website for instant support, which is simply not available elsewhere.”