ABSTRACT
It is estimated that dementia currently affects approximately 37 million people worldwide, with an estimated 775 200 cases in the United Kingdom (World Health Organization, 2001; Alzheimer’s Society Demography Policy Position, 2004). As the population ages these prevalence rates can be expected to increase substantially, especially in industrialized nations (Hebert et al., 2003). Dementia can have a devastating personal impact upon the lives of patients and their carers, and may also be associated with substantial financial costs; the total cost of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) alone in the US for the year 2000 has been estimated to be US$1.75 billion (World Health Organization, 2001).
