Factsheet: Learning disabilities and dementia

Citation

Watchman K & Strydom A (2015) Factsheet: Learning disabilities and dementia. London: Alzheimer's Society. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/download_info.php?fileID=1763

Abstract
People with learning disabilities, particularly those with Down’s syndrome, are at increased risk of developing dementia. If a person with a learning disability develops dementia, they will face different and additional challenges to people who do not have a learning disability. This factsheet is an introduction to dementia in people with learning disabilities, which are increasingly known as intellectual disabilities. It explains what dementia and learning disabilities are, and how someone with a learning disability is more likely to develop dementia. It covers how dementia in a person with a learning disability is diagnosed and treated, and gives some suggestions for how a person with a learning disability and dementia can be supported to live well.