DementiaRoadmap Wales

Promoting living well with dementia across Wales
Worried about your memory → Young onset dementia

Young onset dementia

'Young onset dementia' is a term used by some health and social care professionals to describe dementia when it affects people under 65 years of age.  It is also referred to as ‘early onset’ or ‘working age’ dementia.

This age distinction is becoming increasingly irrelevant as  services are realigned to focus on the person and the impact of the condition, rather than the age.

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  • Approaching an unthinkable future – Understanding the support needs of people living with young onset dementiaOctober 7 2015This report explores the experiences of people living with young onset dementia contacted by Dementia Pathfinders during a social care workforce training project in 2014 and 2015.
  • Dementia, disability and frailty in later life – mid-life approaches to delay or prevent onsetOctober 22 2015This guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence aims to increase the amount of time that people can be independent, healthy and active in later life.
  • Dementia Action Plan for Wales 2018 – 2022November 20 2019The Welsh government have adopted the Dementia Action Plan for Wales 2018 - 2022, with Vaughan Gething, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, stating that,  "Our vision is for Wales to be a dementia friendly nation that recognises the rights of people with dementia to feel valued and to live as independently as possible in their communities."
  • Unlocking Diagnosis: The key to improving the lives of people with dementiaJuly 4 2012This report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (APPG) explores the barriers to dementia diagnosis in the UK. It makes recommendations to improve diagnosis rates and provide better post diagnosis support for people with dementia.
  • Services for younger people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementiasMarch 18 2006This briefing paper jointly published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Alzheimer's Society provides guidance on the services for younger people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
  • Living with young onset dementiaJune 10 2015This video published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence highlights the experiences of younger people being diagnosed and living with dementia.
  • Dementia DiariesJune 4 2015Dementia Diaries is a national project that brings together people’s diverse experiences of living with dementia as a series of audio diaries.
  • Younger people with dementiaMay 19 2015This factsheet published by the Alzheimer's Society explores at the types of dementia that younger people under 65 years of age may have, some of the difficulties that they might experience and where support can be found.
  • How common is dementia?April 6 2014According to the Alzheimer's Society there are around 800,000 people in the UK with dementia. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia, and two-thirds of people with dementia are women.
  • Dementia UKFebruary 3 2007This report into the prevalence and cost of dementia shows that as the UK's population ages the number of people with dementia will grow substantially. It also shows that dementia costs the UK £17 billion a year.
  • Training resources to improve the dementia component of the NHS Health CheckFebruary 12 2018These training resources can be used by NHS Health Check trainers and practitioners to improve the quality of their delivery of the dementia component of the check.
  • Useful Apps for Dementia Patients & CarersApril 25 2019There are many apps available that can be downloaded to a smartphone or tablet  that could be beneficial to people with dementia. Apps are available for daily aid, memory training, relaxation, care giver information and games.
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