Our Health & Wellbeing
This month’s main article about dementia is written by Axbridge and Wedmore Medical Practice.
Dementia – Some Good News and Things We Can Do to Reduce Our Risk
We often hear worrying headlines about dementia and the growing number of people living with the condition. However, there is some genuinely encouraging news.
Research published in the Journal of America Medical Association in 2025 by Eric Stallard suggests that the story may be more positive than we sometimes hear. Although the number of people with dementia is increasing, largely because we are living longer and there are more people reaching older age, the risk of developing dementia at a particular age appears to have fallen in several high-income countries.
This is supported by earlier research involving more than 49,000 people across Europe and North America. The study found that the incidence of dementia fell by around 13% per decade between 1988 and 2015, with the decline seen consistently across the different populations studied.
So, while dementia remains an important health issue, there are reasons to be optimistic.
Why might the risk be falling?
Age remains the biggest risk factor for dementia. However, getting older does not mean that dementia is inevitable, and dementia is not a normal part of ageing.
We now understand much more about other factors that can influence our risk. Many of these are things we can do something about – sometimes referred to as modifiable risk factors.
Dementia UK reports that research suggests that as many as one in three cases of dementia could potentially be prevented or delayed through addressing risk factors and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This does not mean dementia can be completely prevented, but it does mean that there are positive steps we can take.
Look after your heart – and your brain
There is a strong connection between cardiovascular health and brain health. Conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and heart disease can increase the risk of dementia, particularly vascular dementia.
In simple terms, what is good for the heart is generally good for the brain too.
There are several practical things we can do:
- Keep physically active – walking, gardening, swimming, cycling and other activities all count.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet, with plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains and fewer highly processed foods.
- Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control and take prescribed medication as advised.
- Maintain a healthy weight, particularly during mid-life.
- Don’t smoke and avoid drinking more alcohol than recommended.
- Stay socially connected – spending time with family, friends and neighbours is good for our overall wellbeing.
- Keep your brain active through reading, learning, hobbies, music, puzzles, volunteering or trying something new.
- Look after your hearing and eyesight and seek help if either deteriorates.
These measures cannot guarantee that someone will avoid dementia, but there is good evidence that they can help reduce the risk.
There is growing evidence of a possible link between gum disease and dementia, although researchers have not yet established that gum disease causes dementia. Looking after our teeth and gums is important for our general health and may also have benefits for brain health. There will be more on gum health from our local dentist in November’s Wedmore News
What about vaccinations?
There has also been some fascinating recent research into whether vaccinations could have an effect on dementia risk.
A 2025 study published in Nature found that people who received the shingles vaccine had a lower risk of receiving a new dementia diagnosis over the following seven years. Other research has also found an association between shingles vaccination and a lower risk of dementia.
This is an exciting area of research, although it is important to say that vaccination is not currently considered a proven way of preventing dementia. The established benefits of vaccination remain preventing the infections and complications that the vaccines are designed to protect against.
It is therefore still important to make sure you are up to date with the vaccinations you are eligible for. The NHS provides information about the shingles and pneumococcal vaccination programmes, and your NHS App may also help you check which vaccinations you have received. Axbridge & Wedmore has a rolling vaccination programme calling eligible patients for their vaccinations. More information can be found on their website. https://axbridgeandwedmoremedicalpractice.nhs.uk/services/immunisations
Shingles vaccine – NHS; Shingles vaccination – who’s eligible?
Don’t ignore changes in memory
It is also important not to assume that every memory lapse is dementia. We all forget names, lose our keys or walk into a room and forget why we went there.
However, if memory or thinking problems are becoming noticeably worse and are starting to affect everyday life, it is worth speaking to your GP.
Possible signs can include:
- increasing forgetfulness, particularly of recent events
- difficulty finding the right words or following conversations
- problems with planning or solving everyday problems
- becoming confused about time or familiar places
- regularly losing or misplacing things
- changes in personality or behaviour
- becoming increasingly withdrawn or anxious.
Importantly, these symptoms do not necessarily mean that someone has dementia. Other conditions and circumstances can cause similar symptoms, including depression, anxiety, thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies. A GP can help establish what may be causing the changes.
The positive message
There is no guaranteed way to prevent dementia, and we cannot change some risk factors, particularly our age and some aspects of our genetics.
But the evidence gives us good reason to be hopeful.
The risk of developing dementia at a particular age appears to have fallen in several countries, and researchers believe that improvements in cardiovascular health and changes in lifestyle may have contributed.
Perhaps the most useful message is a simple one:
Look after your heart, keep your body active, keep your mind active and stay connected with the people around you.
These things won’t guarantee that we avoid dementia, but they can improve our general health and wellbeing – and may also help reduce our risk of dementia in later life.
Further information
For reliable information about dementia, symptoms and ways of reducing your risk, see:
NHS – Can dementia be prevented?
Dementia UK – How to lower your risk of dementia
Dementia UK – Signs and symptoms of dementia
Support for people with dementia and their carers in Wedmore
HeadsUp is based in Wells and provides services for people with dementia, their carers and loved ones. For full information visit their website. Dementia Services – Heads Up Somerset
This is taken from their website:- Our Memories Workshops enable those living with Dementia to spend time with others in a safe, nurturing environment whilst also providing vital respite for carers and families. They would be pleased to talk with you if you want to find out more, phone 01749 670667. Here is a personal invitation from Bridget Harvey, Service Director.
Dear All,
We would like to warmly invite you to join our Wedmore Carers Group, which has been running successfully for several years. The group provides a welcoming, friendly, and supportive environment where carers can come together to share their experiences, talk about the challenges and joys of caring for a loved one living with dementia, and connect with others who truly understand. There is always free tea and coffee available, funded by John Hodge solicitors in Wedmore. Our team is on hand to offer guidance, support, and information about local services and resources that may be of benefit to you and the person you care for.
Whether you are looking for advice, friendship, or simply a chance to take a break and chat, you will be made very welcome.
We hope to see you there.
Kind regards,
Bridget Harvey
Service Director
Heads-Up Somerset
Wedmore Carer’s Group
Come along on the first Friday of the month to The Swan Hotel, Wedmore between 10am and 12md. The next meeting will be on Friday 2nd October. If you want to find out more about the Memories Workshops and Carers’ Group, phone HeadsUp on 01749 670667 or email wedmorecarers@yahoo.com If you need help with funding for attending the Memories Workshops at HeadsUp, just ask, help may be available.
Coffee and a Chat
For general support with mental wellbeing Somewhere House, a charity based in Burnham, visits The Bluebird Café in Wedmore on the first Wednesday of the month, from 10-12md. They offer an opportunity to meet and chat. For more information contact them on 01278 780769
There’s more!
For additional information about dementia and recent insights go to the following links. You can reach them all with just one click and find out more interesting facts, figures and insights.
For a video to summarise go to 7 ways to help protect your brain from dementia from Patient.info. For an easy listen/read article try The Economist Podcast of 30th July. Working memory: the surprising…–Economist Podcasts – Apple Podcasts In reading my emails, this caught my eye from Patient.info – ‘Can wiggling your pinky really stop cognitive decline?’ Wiggling Your Pinky: A TikTok Myth for Cognitive Decline? – answer ‘no’!
Cathy Butterworth
Wedmore Health & Wellbeing Project
01934 806266