What are the badges MPs are wearing today?
MPS have today been donning small blue badges in parliament today.
But what are the badges, and why are they wearing them? Here's all you need to know…
What are the badges MPs are wearing today?
MPs are today wearing small blue flower badges for Dementia Awareness Week, which runs from May 18-24.
The flower is a forget-me-not, which represents remembrance and is long-associated with dementia.
Dementia affects 850,000 people across the UK – a figure which is expected to rise to over one million in the next five years.
The pin is worn by to raise awareness and support people affected by the condition.
There are several versions of the forget-me-not badge.
A person may also wear a forget-me-not badge because a family member or loved one has dementia.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a general term used to describe the deterioration of a person's mental ability that is severe enough to interfere with their daily life.
It is known for the problems it causes with thinking, reasoning and memory – as these are the areas in the brain that become damaged.
There are two main groups dementia can be split into:
- Cortical, which causes severe memory loss like that seen in Alzheimer's,
- Sub-cortical, which affects thinking speed and activity as seen with Parkinson's disease.
Vascular dementia and Alzheimer's are two of the most common forms and they both cause problems with memory.
Both are rare in those under 65 years old.
Other common forms of dementia are Frontotemporal dementia, mostly diagnosed in those under 65 years old, and dementia with Lewy bodies, where nerve damage gradually gets worse over time causing slowed movement.
Scientists recently discovered a new form of dementia that has often been mistaken for Alzheimer's.
They say it is part of the reason why finding a cure to dementia has failed so far.
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