Young onset dementia
Dementia doesn’t just happen to older people. Although age is the biggest risk factor, the condition can occur at almost any stage in someone’s life.
What is young onset dementia?
Dementia is described as ‘young onset’ when symtoms appear before the age of 65.
You may have previously heard the condition be called ‘early onset’ dementia. However, that particular phrasing was often confused with the ‘early stages’ of the condition, therefore, it is no longer used by professionals.
It is estimated that there are 70,800 people living with young onset dementia in the UK. That means, of everyone living with dementia, 7.5% of them developed symptoms before the age of 65. This estimation may actually be lower than reality, as it takes those with young onset dementia twice as long to receive a diagnosis. To learn more about the prevelance of young onset dementia, visit Dementia UK’s ‘facts and figures’ page.
How can we help?
Young Dementia Oxfordshire is the young onset dementia service offered through Dementia Oxfordshire, and delivered by Dementia UK. The team of three Young Onset Dementia Advisors working in Oxfordshire offer face-to-face, telephone, and email support for people living with young onset dementia (where symptoms develop before the age of 65) and their family members.
They offer practical and emotional support and guidance not just about dementia, but also around financial and legal matters, employment, benefits and planning for the future. In addition, they offer tailored support to help people who are newly diagnosed to adapt to the changes that they may be experiencing, plan for the future, and offer emotional support in coming to terms with a life-changing diagnosis.
Complementing this advice is a busy programme of monthly face-to-face and online groups. These provide valuable opportunities to meet and make new friends, relax and enjoy the company of others.
How to contact the young onset team
The team send monthly emails to keep members up-to-date about upcoming events and groups and there is a private Facebook community group, exclusively for people in Oxfordshire. You can request to join the Facebook group via this link.
For staff member contact details visit our teams page.
This specialist service is part of Dementia Oxfordshire. You can contact the team via their email address: youngdementiaoxfordshire@dementiauk.org
For more information about the service visit Dementia UK’s Young Dementia Oxfordshire page.
Young onset support outside Oxfordshire
If you or your family member live outside Oxfordshire, please contact the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline.
