Dementia is a term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders, with a collection of symptoms that affect how people think, speak, perceive, feel and behave. It is a disintegration of the brain and sense of self, unceasing and insoluble. The transition from sanity to Alzheimer's-induced oblivion is like stepping through Alice's looking glass, and the most distressing period is when the person is moving from one side to the other. Dementia is so stigmatised that the government fails to treat it with the same urgency as other illnesses such as heart disease or cancer. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2016 reports life expectancy in the UK averages 81 years old. Age is the strongest risk factor relating to dementia and risk of developing the disease increases with age. There are more than 100,000 people in the UK with dementia, and this is increasing rapidly.