Homepage: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
The Alzheimer"s Society is the UK"s leading care and research charity for people with dementia along with their families and carers.
There is a wealth of information on this site, ranging from facts about dementia - including risk factors, genetics and statistics - to how it is diagnosed and how to go about subsequent treatment. The Society offers a body of research that discusses causes, care and possible cures - and has a refreshing section that lets people with dementia tell their own story in their own words.
Alzheimer's Disease International
Homepage: http://www.alz.co.uk/
Alzheimer"s Disease International is the umbrella organisation of Alzheimer associations around the world. They aim to raise global awareness of the disease and all other causes of dementia.
The ADI website offers a lot of information about senile dementia and what causes it, including the implications of vascular disease, fronto-temporal dementia, alcohol and AIDS-related dementia. They discuss symptoms such as memory loss, problems with language, disorientation and personality changes - and deal with possible treatments and how to go about setting up specialised care. They also have a Q&A section covering common concerns.
Home Page: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/
Condition Info: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en.aspx?articleID=124
NHS Direct Online is a website providing comprehensive health advice for people living in England - and is supported by a 24-hour helpline.
Their dementia page explains what the condition is as well as discussing its symptoms, causes and diagnosis. Advice is given on treatments - including the drugs donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine - and other avenues such as brain stem cell therapy or a vaccination to stop the build-up of plaques in the brain. They offer useful links to related articles and other websites containing further advice and support.
Home Page: http://www.alzheimer-europe.org/
Alzheimer Europe is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve the care and treatment of patients through intensified collaboration between its member associations.
The site offers background information on dementia, its prevalence rates and statistics - and talks in detail about Alzheimer"s disease e.g. who is affected, inheritance, diagnosis, treatment and current research. It also has a section on the rarer forms of dementia such as neuro-degenerative, infectious, metabolic, traumatic, toxic and cerebro-vascular diseases. The site offers tips for carers, speaks about the legal rights of sufferers and has a useful glossary of related medical terms.
Alzheimer's Research Trust
Home Page: http://www.alzheimers-research.org.uk/
The Alzheimer"s Research Trust is the leading research charity for dementia in the UK. The Trust funds research into the causes, treatment and prevention of Alzheimer"s disease and related dementias.
They offer comprehensive advice about dementia - including what Alzheimer"s disease is, what causes it, who is at risk, symptoms and available drugs (such as Aricept, Exelon, Reminyl and Ebixa). They also have information on the latest UK research programmes and have a very interesting section where surfers can read the online diary of an Alzheimer scientist.
Mental Health in Later Life
Home Page: http://www.mhilli.org/
Condition Info: http://www.mhilli.org/dementia/
The Mental Health in Later Life website deals with issues of interest to people with early dementia plus their family, friends, practitioners - and others interested in helping to improve the experience of living with dementia.
Their site is split into three sections. The first is "The Learning Network", where users can share information on primary care, specialist services, drugs and finance and legal issues. The second is the "Dementia Advice and Support Services", where users can find information on support and care in the UK. The third is the "Dementia Research Initiative", where users can read about various topics including: Asian people with dementia, music and bright light therapy and aromatherapy.
Home Page: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
Condition Info: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/page.cfm?pagecode=PMAMDM
The Mental Health Foundation was set up to help people survive, recover from and prevent mental health problems. The group works across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and their information covers children, adults of working age and people in later life.
Their page on dementia covers what the condition is and how it comes about, including factors such as lack of blood and oxygen to the brain, head injury and neurological disease. They identify the two most common forms of dementia - Alzheimer"s and vascular or multi-infarct dementia - and speak of drugs such as Aricept and Reminyl as a preventative measure. Their page also gives advice to carers and offers a select list of resources.
Home Page: http://www.fordementia.org.uk/
The mission of the For Dementia organisation is to improve the quality of life for people affected by dementia, to provide training for professionals working with older people - and to contribute to national policy on dementia.
Their site is mainly for carers - and includes information on training and development in the UK. It also contains information on Admiral Nurses - qualified nurse specialists who offer individual psychological and practical support to carers from the point of diagnosis for as long as necessary. The group also offers an online annual report and links to other sites of interest.
Home Page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/
Condition Info: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/dementia1.shtml
BBC Health offers a complete A-Z illness listing, with related articles and guides plus a messageboard where users can share their experiences.
Their section on dementia talks about what the condition is, what the symptoms are, who it affects and how to help prevent it. They also carry informative articles on Alzheimer"s Awareness Week and living with dementia. Useful links take surfers to BBC News articles, too. One suggests how exercise can help reduce dementia - and another concerns a new scheme that is giving GPS units to sufferers, enabling relatives to track them down if they get lost.
Home Page: http://www.patient.co.uk/
Condition Info: http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc.asp?doc=23068719
Patient UK provides non-medical people in the UK with good quality information about health and disease. Their content is produced and edited by qualified GPs and is based on patient evidence.
Their dementia page what the condition is, what causes it - and the two main forms it takes (Alzheimer"s and vascular dementia). It covers symptoms such as disorientation, memory loss, personality change and failing intellect. Related medication is explained - including Cholinesterase inhibitors (such as donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine), Memantine, aspirin, antidepressants and more. They also offer advice on support and care.
