Record number of calls over dementia

A RECORD high of almost 5,000 callers contacted the Alzheimer's Society's dementia support line over the festive season.

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Calls were up 16% from 4,279 in December 2024 to 4,973 last month.

The latest figure is the highest since the helpline was set up in 2019.

Alzheimer's Society estimates almost one million people in the UK are living with dementia, and one in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

While callers contacted the helpline for different reasons including fundraising (6%) and emotional support (3%), the most-mentioned topic was social care (19%), the charity said.