25 August 2010 Last updated at 04:19 ET

Dementia cases in Norfolk rise 30% year-on-year

Dementia cases in Norfolk are rising by nearly a third every year according to the local trust.

Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Foundation Trust is holding a roadshow called Memory Matters in Aylsham to help people seek early diagnosis.

The event is being held in conjunction with Age UK, the Alzheimer's Society and Crossroads Care.

The trust estimates that more than 14,200 people in central Norfolk will have dementia by 2011.

It said there are 700,000 people in the UK with dementia, a figure which is set to rise to more than one million in the next 15 years.

Pauline Goffin who is in charge of older people's services for the trust said the earlier the diagnosis, the easier it was for individuals and the NHS to manage and treat the condition.

Maggie Wheeler, chair of the mental health trust, said: "Members of the public are welcome to drop in for a chat or to discuss memory loss with one of our expert staff.

"The earlier a person gets diagnosed with dementia, the sooner they and their family can come to terms with the situation and be better informed and less worried."