Since my wife, Sharon's, diagnosis last year, YPWD (Berkshire) has become an integral part of our lives and without them we would have been lost. As well as offering activities and companionship, YPWD has given us support, both emotionally and practically, to help us through negotiating the challenges dementia brings.

Dementia is considered young onset when it affects people under 65 years of age. It is also referred to as early onset or working age dementia.

People with young onset dementia often experience a more rapid decline in cognition and quality of life at a time when they may otherwise have expected to be in employment and to have an active social life. The same applies to partners and other family members who consequently face social isolation and carer stress. In many cases, carers have to give up work to support their partner and therefore, the ability to provide respite on a daily basis is often pivotal to keeping carers in work. Furthermore, for the person with dementia, lack of appropriate activities can result in an increase in social isolation, apathy, a decline in health and increased risk of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.