Rise in dementia patients 'a struggle' for island

The Isle of Wight has an aging population, with about 29% of residents aged over 65, compared to a national average of about 18%

The owner of a cafe that supports people with Alzheimer's has warned hospitals in the area are struggling to cope with a rising number of dementia patients.

Parklands, which opened in April, is the Isle of Wight's seventh Alzheimer's Cafe.

Based in Cowes and staffed by volunteers, it offers advice and holds activities for those with dementia, their families and carers.

But CEO Maggie Bennett said communities still needed to do more to make the island "dementia-friendly" because its health services were "very stretched".

Maggie Bennett said about 200 people visit the Alzheimer's Cafe every month

The number of people with dementia on the Isle of Wight is estimated to rise to 3,920 by 2030 - a 47% increase from the 2,655 cases recorded in 2022.

There will also be more older people on the island in the next decade, with the number aged over 85 expected to increase by 24%.

Ms Bennett said she was worried the future could be "dark" for people living with dementia if the right support was not there.

"The current provision is stretched... I know our hospitals are really, really struggling in terms of the number of people who to are going into hospital, not just because of [dementia] but because of issues around other comorbidities of older age," she said.

Tricia Pocock hopes to keep "enough of herself", following her dementia diagnosis

Tricia Pocock, a regular at the cafe, believes she developed Alzheimer's in her early 50s.

"When you're first diagnosed and there's still quite a bit of you there, it's more troublesome," she said.

"As time goes on and you lose a little bit more of your memory, it doesn't become so important because it's not there to worry you."

Ms Pocock felt the cafe provided comfort in a space she was happy in.

"I've had more laughs with people with Alzheimer's than I've ever had - they really make you giggle," she went on.

"It's important now, as we're living older, there are places that we can go to be together more.

"I need it in my life because without that, I don't know what I'd do."