Surveys suggest low levels of awareness

As many as 50 million people around the world are affected by dementia, according to Alzheimer's Disease International, an NGO that acts as the federation of Alzheimer's associations around the world. ADI estimates that 131.5 million people will be living with dementia by 2050, while someone develops the condition every three seconds. A survey conducted by ADI shows that two out of every three respondents believe that there is little or no understanding of dementia in their countries.

Dementia is the collective name for progressive brain syndromes that affect memory, cognition, behavior and emotions, and is the leading cause of disability and dependency among elderly people. Although each person experiences dementia in their own way, eventually they will be unable to care for themself and will need help with all aspects of daily life.

There are more than 100 forms of dementia, the best-known being Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for 50 to 60 percent of all cases.