The Compassion programme: looking at improving end-of-life care for people with advanced dementia

摘要

Approximately 700000 people in the UK have dementia-10% of those aged over 65 years. By 2026 this will approach 840 000, rising to 1.2 million by 2050 (Knapp and Prince, 2007). In 2005, it was estimated that 24.3 million people worldwide had dementia, with 4.6 million new cases occurring every year, mostly in developing countries. It is predicted that by 2040 the global prevalence of dementia will be 81.1 million people (Ferri et al, 2005). Currently, one in three of those who die aged over 65 in the UK do so while suffering from dementia (Brayne et al, 2006).