Urgent help: call 999 if someone's life is at risk, or NHS 111. Sudden new confusion can be delirium, which needs medical help the same day.

About this website

Dementia Explained is an information website. It aims to give clear, calm and practical information about dementia for people in the UK.

Updated 16 September 20263 min read

What this website is for

This website is for:

  • people who are worried about their memory
  • people living with dementia
  • families, friends and carers

It explains dementia in plain English, including early signs, getting a diagnosis, treatment, living well, caring for someone and legal and money matters.

What this website is not

This is an information website. It does not provide clinical services, and it cannot give medical, legal or financial advice about your own situation.

If you are worried about your memory or someone else’s, speak to your GP. In the UK, dementia is usually diagnosed through your GP and an NHS memory assessment service.

If someone suddenly becomes confused, or their life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E.

How content is written

Pages are written to be easy to read, with short sentences, clear headings and explanations of medical terms.

The information is based on authoritative UK sources, including:

  • the NHS website
  • NICE guidance, especially NG97 on dementia assessment, management and support
  • Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK, Age UK and Carers UK
  • GOV.UK and the official websites for Scotland and Northern Ireland

Each page lists the sources used. Figures, such as benefit rates, helpline hours and the status of new medicines, are checked against these sources. Every page shows the date it was last updated.

Information can go out of date, particularly benefit rates, fees and decisions about new medicines. Please check the original source, especially before making a decision.

The website does not include testimonials, reviews or personal stories presented as real cases.

This website is run by the owners of Happy Clinic, a private online psychiatry service, and it links to Happy Clinic. This section explains that link and its limits.

Happy Clinic does not assess, diagnose or treat dementia or memory disorders. It only sees adults aged 18 and over, for mental health conditions.

Links to Happy Clinic appear on a small number of pages, only where they may be relevant:

  • for carers and family members who are struggling with their own mental health, such as depression, anxiety, stress or insomnia
  • for adults whose concentration or memory worries may be linked to depression or anxiety, after a GP has checked for physical causes

Happy Clinic’s GMC-registered consultant psychiatrists see adults by video across the UK. Happy Clinic does not provide emergency or crisis care, or psychological therapy, and does not see children.

Mental health consultations linked from this website are provided by Happy Clinic, which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Other organisations

Links to the NHS, NICE, charities and government websites are provided because they are reliable sources of information. This website is not connected with, or endorsed by, those organisations.

Feedback and corrections

If you spot something that looks out of date or unclear, check the source listed on that page. For support, see support and helplines. For how this website handles data, see the privacy page.

Sources and further reading (3)
  1. NHS: Dementia guide
  2. NICE guideline NG97: Dementia: assessment, management and support
  3. Alzheimer's Society: Types of dementia

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