Alzheimer's Society responds to ONS statistic showing that dementia and Alzheimer's disease are the leading cause of death for the first time
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown that dementia and Alzheimer's disease are now the leading cause of death in England and Wales.
This replaces ischaemic heart disease as the leading cause of death and is related to an ageing population as well as better dementia diagnosis rates.
In 2015, 61,686 people died of Dementia or Alzheimer's, amounting to 11.6% of all deaths, while the age-standardised mortality rate for Dementia and Alzheimer's has more than doubled over the last 5 years for both males and females. The majority of these deaths were among females while ischaemic heart disease remains the leading cause of death amongst men, however the age-standardised mortality rate continues to fall.
Martina Kane, Senior Policy Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Today’s news that dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are the leading cause of death in England and Wales is a stark reminder that dementia remains a growing concern across the country. While the news represents improvements in diagnosis rates, general awareness and the accuracy of reporting, it also reflects that there are rising numbers of people with dementia. While there remains no cure for the condition, everyone who develops it will sadly still have the disease when they die. It is therefore essential that people have access to the right support and services to help them live well with dementia and that research into better care, treatments and eventually a cure remain high on the agenda.”
Additional information
Dementia shortens life expectancy, but it is very difficult to know how long someone with dementia will live for. If the person also has another life-limiting illness, their condition is likely to worsen in a more predictable way over a period of weeks or days. This may mean that the person dies from another condition (eg cancer) when their dementia is at a relatively early stage.
But someone with later-stage dementia without another life-limiting illness often deteriorates slowly over many months. They gradually become more frail, have more frequent falls or infections, become less mobile, sleep more, and eat and talk less.
A person with later-stage dementia may have symptoms that suggest that they are close to death, but actually live with these symptoms for many months. This uncertainty makes planning for the end of someone's life difficult.
For someone with later-stage dementia, the most common immediate cause of death is an infection such as pneumonia. There are changes when the person is within a few days or hours of dying (see 'Recognising when someone is reaching the end of life' below). Families often find these changes distressing. Healthcare staff can help to reassure relatives that the person is not suffering.
