Dementia in Colchester: Prevalence, Social Determinants, and Policy Issues

This report discusses the prevalence of dementia in Colchester, its social determinants, and policy issues related to it. It covers demographic profiles, health issues, health inequalities, social determinants, policy issues, and public health provisions.

Report.

ABSTRACT
Dementia is generally a well-being issue that can cause major problems among old age
people. It is a syndrome which lead to impairment in the cognitive functions such as individual's
capability to process the thoughts, beyond what might be expected from the usual consequences
of the biological ageing. There are another types of dementia such as Alzheimer's illness,
vascular. Lewy bodies illness and many more. Among all the types, Alzheimer's illness is quite
common. In United Kingdom, there is estimated nearly about 850,000 people who are generally
living with Dementia and numbers are mainly set to increase to above one million by the year
2025. Across greater Essex, there is an estimated people about 19,000 who are living with
Dementia.

Table of Content.
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Demographic profile of Dementia...............................................................................................1
Health issues in Colchester..........................................................................................................2
Who is affected? Health inequalities...........................................................................................2
Social determinants of Health......................................................................................................3
Policy issues relating to Dementia...............................................................................................3
Public health provisions in Colchester.........................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Dementia is a health issue that can cause specific problems among old age people. It is a
syndrome which lead to impairment in the cognitive functions such as individual's capability to
process the thoughts, beyond what might be expected from the usual consequences of the
biological ageing. Dementia can significantly make impact over the thinking, memory,
comprehension, learning and judgement capability of an individual. In this, the damage in the
cognitive functioning is more commonly accompanied as well as occasionally preceded, by
alterations in the moods, behaviour, emotional control and motivation. It can mainly impact on
the old age people and can results in multiple illnesses and injuries which can primarily
influences the human brain. In addition to this, Alzheimer's illness is generally considered as a
most common form of Dementia and can contribute towards about 60 to 70% of cases across
world. In United Kingdom, there are estimated about 850,000 people are generally living with
Dementia with numbers are specifically set to increase to above one million by the year 2025.
Across greater Essex, there is an estimated people about 19,000 who are living with Dementia.
The report will cover the demographic profiles of prevalence of Dementia across Colchester,
Essex along with its social determinants that can play a part in causing dementia among people.
In addition to this, there is also a discussion about the specific policies that are associated with
leading cause of dementia within Colchester, Essex to increase the independence of the people
having dementia (What is dementia?, 2020).
MAIN BODY
Demographic profile of Dementia.
Dementia is an increasing issue among old age people and there are the factors that can
influence issue among people such as increasing age, socio-economic status, absence of
involvement within family's decision making. In context with Colchester, the health determinants
of an individual such as sex, age, ethnic group and race can give evidences which can impact in
the development of dementia and these can be modified by the environmental factors such as
social networks and healthy lifestyle. The prevalence of Dementia can be influenced by the other
risk factors in the middle age group such as excessive smoking, hypercholesterolemia,
educational levels, excessive alcoholism and many more (Local Authority Health Profile 2019,
2020). The risk factors are as mentioned below:
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Age: It is generally a risk for causing Dementia such as the person who is above the age of 65
are more likely to develop the symptoms of dementia that other people who are below 65 age
group.
Poverty: The risk of developing dementia are more common among the people who are having
poverty or lives in low income family. In this, the restricted expertise in the mental health can
results in the reduced care for the old age people, more particularly in those people who are
having dementia. Lack of access to medical care services, lack of effective education about
health and well-being, all can influence the health of an individual negatively.
Gender/sex: In this, the females are more prone to develop the symptoms of dementia as
compared with males. It is because the brain cells getting damage with age much more faster in
female as compared with male and females are more likely to live longer than male.
Health issues in Colchester.
Dementia is a leading cause among people within Colchester. Nearly about 20,000 people
are specifically estimated to be living with Dementia and the cause is generally set out to be
enhancing over 25,000 cases in the next coming years. The people who are having Dementia can
suffer from multiple impairments such as memory issues, cognitive impairment, learning issues
and many more. People having Dementia does not able to perform their daily activities and make
them dependent over other people (Dementia, 2022).
Who is affected? Health inequalities.
From the prevalence of Dementia, mostly the old age group people who are above 65 age
are more likely to suffer from Dementia within Colchester. In this, the growth would be driven
solely by the population ageing and the life expectancy for the old age group people is enhancing
as the mortality rates declines. In addition to this, from the study, it has been analysed that the
prevalence as well as an incidence of the people having dementia among the old age group is
already started to fall in the great income countries like United Kingdom, linked with
enhancements in the level of education as well as improvements in the public well-being such as
better prevention, healthier lifestyle and control over the cardiovascular risk factors among
people. If these such trends continue, will have the high impact and can even eliminate the
enhancement in the numbers of people having dementia in the coming years (Dementia, 2014).
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Social determinants of Health.
The social determinants of well-being are generally the non-medical components which
can influence the well-being outcomes more significantly. They are the conditions in which
people born, grow, live and age as well. It can also involve the broader sets of the forces as well
as the system shaping the daily living conditions in an individual's life. In addition to this, the
forces and systems can involve social norms, social policies, economic policies and systems as
well. The social determinants that are associated with Dementia can include low income, age,
ethnicity, unemployment, mental well-being issues, lack of education and many more (Health
Matters: Health inequalities and dementia, 2016). Furthermore, there is increase in number of
risk factors of dementia associated with socio-economic positions like absence of physical
activity and lack of effective education. In this, there is a strong association among socio-
economic groups and smoking. It has been determined as a highest cause of inequality in death
rates among poor and rich people across Colchester, UK. It is identified that smoking is one of
the highest risk factor that causes Dementia among people and it can significantly double the risk
of improving the conditions among population.
Policy issues relating to Dementia.
The policies that are specifically linked with Dementia such as social care services
provided to the people suffering from Dementia to attain a healthy well-being. There are the
legislations that can help the people having dementia such as The Equality Act, The United
Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In this, the recommendations for
the people having Dementia such as involve the patients while making decisions, the social care
workers and care providers must provide enough information which are relevant to their
circumstances as well as the stages of their conditions. With help of legislations and policies, the
care provider must provide enough care services to people having Dementia such that they can
perform their daily living activities and can feel independent (Dementia: assessment,
management and support for people living with dementia and their carers, 2018).
Public health provisions in Colchester.
The public health provisions which the government is doing for people having dementia
such as the care homes established by the government so that proper care services can be
provided to the people having Dementia. They are arranging the better support for the people
having dementia so that they can be able to live in their own home more independently for
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longer. In addition to this, the general practitioners can ensure the continuity of care services for
the people. The government can provide support for the people suffering from dementia and
avail the care services provided so that they can effectively overcome the cause and live a
healthier life (Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020, 2020).
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it is concluded that Dementia is used to illustrate wide range
of behavioural and cognitive symptoms which can involve loss of memory, issues with reasoning
and communication and alterations in personality as well as decrease in the capability of a person
to carry out the daily living tasks. From the above discussion, it is analysed that there are some
factors that can influence dementia such as age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, poverty and
many more. To overcome the prevalence of dementia among people within Colchester, there are
the policies and healthcare provisions to improve the conditions of the people living with
dementia so that they can effectively perform their daily living functions and can become
independent.
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REFERENCES
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cities: some fresh perspectives. Handbook of Smart Cities, pp.1-39.
Dheman, K., Mayer, P., Magno, M. and Schuerle, S., 2020. Wireless, artefact aware impedance
sensor node for continuous bio-impedance monitoring. IEEE Transactions on
Biomedical Circuits and Systems, 14(5), pp.1122-1134.
Ekechukwu, E.N.D., Nzeakuba, I.C., Dada, O.O., Nwankwo, K.O., Olowoyo, P., Utti, V.A. and
Owolabi, M.O., 2021, June. Virtual Reality, a Neuroergonomic and Neurorehabilitation
Tool for Promoting Neuroplasticity in Stroke Survivors: A Systematic Review with
Meta-analysis. In Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (pp. 495-508).
Springer, Cham.
Harwood, R.H. and Cowan, R., 2020. Physical assessment. Oxford Textbook of Old Age
Psychiatry, p.165.
Lindsey, J., 2020. Protecting vulnerable adults from abuse: Under-protection and over-protection
in adult safeguarding and mental capacity law. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 32(2),
pp.157-175.
McLaughlin, A.C., Matalenas, L.A. and Coleman, M.G., 2018. Design of human centered
augmented reality for managing chronic health conditions. In Aging, technology and
health (pp. 261-296). Academic Press.
Online:
Dementia, 2022 [Online] Available through: <https://www.essex.gov.uk/dementia/essex-
dementia-strategy>
What is dementia?, 2020 [Online] Available through:
<https://www.neessexccg.nhs.uk/dementia-1>
Local Authority Health Profile 2019, 2020 [Online] Available through:
<https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/static-reports/health-profiles/2019/e07000071.html?area-
name=colchester>
Dementia, 2014 [Online] Available through:
<http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/59437/1/Dementia_UK_Second_edition_-_Overview.pdf>
Health Matters: Health inequalities and dementia, 2016 [Online] Available through:
<https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2016/03/22/health-matters-health-inequalities-and-dementia/>
Dementia: assessment, management and support for people living with dementia and their carers,
2018 [Online] Available through:
<https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97/chapter/Recommendations>
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Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020, 2020 [Online] Available through:
<https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/
file/507981/PM_Dementia-main_acc.pdf>
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