Dementia caused 259 deaths in region

DUMFRIES and Galloway bucked the national trend last year with a drop in deaths caused by dementia. There were 259 deaths from the condition in 2024, compared to 266 the year before in 2023. National Records of Scotland (NRS) this week announced a two per cent rise in deaths from dementias, including Alzheimer’s, up to 6612. It was the highest number since 2000. NRS spokesperson Phillipa Haxton, said: “The average age of death from Alzheimer’s Disease or another type of dementia is 87. Of those who died from these conditions, 85 per cent were over 80. “This is one of the leading causes of death for people in Scotland and accounts for around one in ten of all deaths.” She also noted that in general almost two thirds of deaths caused by Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias were female. A similar proportion occurred in care homes. Deaths from dementia have been rising in this region since 2000, when 52 were recorded. That figure had jumped to 241 by 2020; then 250 by 2022.