A recent report has uncovered that dementia, which is a progressive cognitive disease, has been found to affect Scots the most. It has been revealed by the latest UK dementia map that Scotland is leading with highest number of dementia patients as compared to any other area of the UK.

According to the findings of the report, the map was compiled by the Alzheimer’s Society, which is a charity aimed at helping people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It is being said by the charity that health boards often leave people untreated after their diagnosis.

Alzheimer’s disease is an incurable disease and a very common form of dementia. Dementia’s symptoms go unnoticed for years and cause the patient to suffer mood changes, memory loss and communication and reasoning problems. Also, it sometimes can lead to Alzheimer’s, whose late diagnosis makes the illness fatal.

It is thus that the charity has been working to help such patients by raising funds. The report has found that it aids almost 15 specialist dementia nurses throughout the country. However, it has equally been found that early diagnosis and medication of the disease can help in impeding its further progression.

While Scotland has been seen as the focus of the disease as almost 64% of the total population has been diagnosed with dementia as against 41% in the rest of the nation. Also, nearly 25 % of older people with the condition are currently hospitalized. It is being said that people here are still not receiving proper treatments.

Therefore, Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Scotland, concludes, “In order to support all these extra people who now have a diagnosis of dementia, there needs to be appropriate post-diagnostic support available for them, from a named and trained individual”.