THE number of people with dementia in Southampton is set to rise by more than a quarter in 10 years, new research has revealed.

A new report published by Alzheimer’s Society from the London School of Economics and Political Science has revealed that the number of people with dementia in Southampton is set to soar by 29 per cent.

The report predicts that as the population ages, a higher proportion of people with dementia will have higher care needs for longer, driving up the average amount spent on care.

It shows more than 60 per cent a year of social care costs in England will fall on people with dementia and their families.

Previous research by Alzheimer’s Society has shown that someone with dementia will typically have to spend £100,000 on their care.

With the number of people living with dementia set to almost double by 2030, Alzheimer’s Society’s call ahead of the general election, from its Fix Dementia Care campaign, is for all political parties to commit to radically reform dementia care.

The campaign states that dementia care should be funded like other public services, such as the NHS and education, where the cost is shared across society, protecting individuals and their families from the devastating costs of specialist dementia care.

Alzheimer’s Society released the figures as it launches its election manifesto, ‘Demanding action on dementia’.

Nick O’Donohue - Alzheimer’s society area manager for Southampton said: “Dementia is heart-breaking for families. It’s not right that those going through it have to battle to get the care they need on top of battling the disease. From the working mum struggling to find hundreds of pounds every week to ‘top up’ her mum’s council-funded care home place, to the woman who had to sell her home of 50 years to pay for her husband’s care – families affected by dementia are already at breaking point. With costs set to treble in the next two decades, how on earth will they cope?

“The cost of dementia care is too much for an individual to bear.

“It should be spread between us – just like schools, the NHS and other public services. Every party must go into this election with a solid plan to radically reform dementia care. Families in crisis need action, and they need it now.”