Common complications in later-stage dementia can include:⁶

·      starvation and dehydration, by forgetting to eat or drink or not feeling hungry or thirsty, or losing the ability to swallow – poor nutrition increases susceptibility to infection;

·      dysphagia with food and liquids causing choking and being aspirated into the lungs, triggering pneumonia;

·      increased risk of urinary tract infections and the potential for urinary sepsis due to reduced fluid intake, incontinence, long term catheterisation or poor hygiene.

However, dementia can also start adversely affecting health and wellbeing earlier on. For example, people with dementia may be less able to self-manage long-term conditions such as diabetes or hypertension, forget to take medication or attend health check-ups.⁶

Ageing weakens the immune response and as dementia often develops later in life, infection risk becomes more serious. Falls and injuries become increasingly likely with ageing and with dementia, and recovery processes can be hindered, increasing mortality risks.