HEALTH groups are urging people in Teignbridge to help reduce their risks of living with Alzheimer’s disease.

World Alzheimer’s Day this week aimed to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia with GPs across Devon highlighting risk factors.

Some 14,200 county residents last year were reckoned to have dementia –and this is set to nearly double in the next 20 years.

Dr Andy Haytread, lead for adult mental health at South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said this week: ‘The risk factors for dementia are the same as those for heart disease and stroke, so leading a healthy lifestyle and taking regular exercise will help lower the risk of dementia, particularly vascular dementia.’

He added: ‘There is also evidence to show that smoking can increase your risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, so quitting is good on many levels.’

Initiatives have been launched across Devon to help those with dementia, including the establishment of memory cafes which offer peer support, information, advice and lasting friendships to people with dementia or Alzheimer’s. More than 50 towns and villages now boast one.

The Devon Memory Cafe Consortium, which supports people with dementia through a network of such establishments, is funded by the county’s CCGs and Devon County Council. A list of the cafes can be found on http://bit.ly/2wAc5QK.

There are also memory clinics in Torbay, Exeter and Barnstaple which hope to discover the cause of patients’ memory problems and provide appropriate information, support and treatment to help them live well and independently.

In addition, the Devon and Torbay Dementia Advisor Service, run by the Alzheimer’s Society, provides dementia support workers in towns and villages. The service is funded by the county’s CCGs and Devon County Council through the national Better Care Fund.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.

The exact cause is unknown, although a number of factors are thought to increase the risk of developing the condition.

These include ageing, a family history of the condition, previous severe head injuries, lifestyle modes and conditions associated with cardiovascular disease.

More information can be found on www.pinpointdevon.co.uk.

The Alzheimer’s Society website is www.alzheimers.org.uk.

Devon Carers provides a range of support to more than 2,200 carers of people with dementia.