You have 4 notifications

Complete the following actions:

Care Circle

Once a month it's useful to reflect on how you're doing in different areas.

Just select an area of the care circle to update how you're getting on.

Ask Bridgit on WhatsApp 📱 is your go-to for caregiving advice, accessible anytime, anywhere. 🌍

Although it's a not a real person, Bridgit is equipped with the knowledge to support you. 📚

Simply add your phone number, message your queries - from caring for a relative to self-care tips, to get an instant answer. 💡

Available conversations

🤝 Carer Support

Are you looking for help in your caring role?

In a short conversation we'll learn a bit about you and the person you're caring for and then create a simple plan with:

📝 Insights into managing the specific condition of the person you're caring for.
🤝 Guidance on accessing and using these services effectively.
🌍 Links to online resources and communities for carers.

🛡️ Home Safety (Full House)

Need Help Making Your Home Safe?

Let's talk about how to make your home safer. We'll help you with:

🏠 Tips Just for You: We'll look at pictures of your house and tell you how to make it safer.
🔍 Find People Who Can Help: We'll share details of local services that might be able to help.
🌍 We'll show you where to find easy guides and tips on the internet to keep your home safe.

🧘‍♀️ Wellbeing Support

Looking for Wellbeing Support?

In our quick chat, we'll discuss your current engagement in physical activities, stress management practices, and hobbies that uplift you. We'll create a plan featuring:

🏃‍♂️ Suggestions for physical activities suited to your lifestyle.
🧘‍♀️ Tips on mindfulness and meditation, tailored to how often you can practice.
🎨 Ideas for hobbies and activities that can boost your mood and well-being.

💼 Getting Back To Work

Thinking About Getting Back to Work?

Let's have a quick chat to understand your current situation and your aspirations for returning to work. We'll create a concise plan that includes:

📈 Advice on balancing caregiving responsibilities with work.
🌐 Information on flexible working options and support for carers in the workplace.
📝 Tips on updating your CV and preparing for interviews.

⚖️ Work & Care

Balancing Work and Care Responsibilities?

In our brief discussion, we'll explore how you can effectively manage both your professional life and caregiving duties. Your personalized plan will include:

⚖️ Strategies for achieving a work-care balance.
📅 Tips on time management and setting priorities.
🤝 Information on workplace rights and support for carers.

💰 Financial Support & Benefits

Navigating Financial Support & Benefits for Carers?

Join us for a brief chat to delve into the financial aspects of caregiving. We'll help you create a plan encompassing:

💰 Detailed information on benefits and financial support options specifically for carers.
📝 Step-by-step guidance on applying for these benefits.
🛠️ Tools and resources to help manage your finances effectively as a carer.

🏖️ Taking Time Out

Considering Taking Time Out as a Carer?

In our short conversation, we'll discuss your need for a break from caregiving. We'll then formulate a plan that includes:

🏖️ Tips on how to plan for time off and respite care options.
🔄 Strategies for ensuring continuity of care during your absence.
🧘‍♀️ Suggestions for relaxation and rejuvenation activities.

Conditions

Medicines

Tools

Group title goes here

Just select the areas you'd like support in by clicking the

Select from below to add conditions

Frontotemporal dementia

Symptoms

Treatment

Frontotemporal dementia is an uncommon type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language.

Dementia is the name for problems with mental abilities caused by gradual changes and damage in the brain.

Frontotemporal dementia affects the front and sides of the brain (the frontal and temporal lobes).

Dementia mostly affects people over 65, but frontotemporal dementia tends to start at a younger age. Most cases are diagnosed in people aged 45-65, although it can also affect younger or older people.

Like other types of dementia, frontotemporal dementia tends to develop slowly and get gradually worse over several years.

Symptoms of frontotemporal dementia

Signs of frontotemporal dementia can include:

personality and behaviour changes – acting inappropriately or impulsively, appearing selfish or unsympathetic, neglecting personal hygiene, overeating, or loss of motivation
language problems – speaking slowly, struggling to make the right sounds when saying a word, getting words in the wrong order, or using words incorrectly
problems with mental abilities – getting distracted easily, struggling with planning and organisation
memory problems – these only tend to occur later on, unlike more common forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease

There may also be physical problems, such as slow or stiff movements, loss of bladder or bowel control (usually not until later on), muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing.

These problems can make daily activities increasingly difficult, and the person may eventually be unable to look after themselves.

Read more about the symptoms of frontotemporal dementia.

Getting medical advice

See a GP if you think you have early symptoms of dementia. If you're worried about someone else, encourage them to make an appointment with a GP and perhaps suggest you go with them.

The GP can do some simple checks to try to find the cause of your symptoms, and they can refer you to a memory clinic or another specialist for further tests if needed.

Read more about getting a dementia diagnosis.

Tests for frontotemporal dementia

There's no single test for frontotemporal dementia.

The following may be needed to make a diagnosis:

an assessment of symptoms – it's normally helpful to have somebody who knows the person well to give an account of their symptoms, especially as someone with frontotemporal dementia may not be aware of changes in their behaviour
an assessment of mental abilities – this will usually involve a number of tasks and questions
blood tests – to rule out conditions with similar symptoms
brain scans – such as an MRI scan, a CT scan or a PET scan; these can detect signs of dementia and help identify which parts of the brain are most affected, or help rule out other problems with the brain
lumbar puncture – to test the spinal fluid (fluid that surrounds and supports the brain and spine); this may be useful to rule out Alzheimer's disease as the cause of symptoms

Read more about the tests used to diagnose dementia.

Treatments for frontotemporal dementia

There's currently no cure for frontotemporal dementia or any treatment that will slow it down.

But there are treatments that can help control some of the symptoms, possibly for several years.

Treatments include:

medicines – to control some of the behavioural problems
therapies – such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy for problems with movement, everyday tasks and communication
dementia activities – such as memory cafes, which are drop-in sessions for people with memory problems and their carers to get support and advice
support groups – who can offer tips on managing symptoms from dementia experts and people living with frontotemporal dementia, and their families

Read more about how frontotemporal dementia is treated.

Outlook for frontotemporal dementia

How quickly frontotemporal dementia gets worse varies from person to person and is very difficult to predict.

People with the condition can become socially isolated as the illness progresses. They may not want to spend time in the company of others, or may behave in rude or insulting ways.

Home-based help will usually be needed at some stage, and some people will eventually need care in a nursing home.

The average survival time after symptoms start is around 8 to 10 years. But this is highly variable and some people live much longer than this.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, remember you're not alone. The NHS and social services, as well as voluntary organisations and specialist support groups, can provide advice and support for you and your family.

Causes of frontotemporal dementia

Frontotemporal dementia is caused by clumps of abnormal protein forming inside brain cells. These are thought to damage the cells and stop them working properly.

The proteins mainly build up in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain at the front and sides. These are important for controlling language, behaviour, and the ability to plan and organise.

It's not fully understood why this happens, but there's often a genetic link. People who get frontotemporal dementia may have relatives who were also affected by the condition.

If you have a family history of frontotemporal dementia, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about being referred to a geneticist and possibly having a genetic test to see if you're at risk.

There's a lot of research being done to try to improve understanding of the causes of frontotemporal dementia so treatments can be discovered.

If you're interested in helping with research, you can speak to a doctor or register your interest on the Join Dementia Research website.

Other names for frontotemporal dementia

Doctors sometimes use different names to describe frontotemporal dementia. These include:

FTD
Pick's disease
frontal dementia
frontotemporal lobar degeneration
behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia
primary progressive aphasia
semantic dementia
progressive non-fluent aphasia

More information

Living with dementia

Care and support

How you can help

Vascular dementia

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Vascular dementia is a common type of dementia caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. It's estimated to affect around 180,000 people in the UK.

Dementia is the name for problems with mental abilities caused by gradual changes and damage in the brain. It's rare in people under 65.

Vascular dementia tends to get worse over time, although it's sometimes possible to slow it down.

Symptoms of vascular dementia

Vascular dementia can start suddenly or begin slowly over time.

Symptoms include:

slowness of thought
difficulty with planning and understanding
problems with concentration
changes to your mood, personality or behaviour
feeling disoriented and confused
difficulty walking and keeping balance
symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, such as problems with memory and language (many people with vascular dementia also have Alzheimer's disease)

These problems can make daily activities increasingly difficult and someone with the condition may eventually be unable to look after themselves.

Getting medical advice

See a GP if you think you have early symptoms of dementia, especially if you're over 65 years of age.

If it's found at an early stage, treatment may be able to stop vascular dementia getting worse, or at least slow it down.

If you're worried about someone else, encourage them to make an appointment with a GP and perhaps suggest that you go with them.

Your GP can do some simple checks to try to find the cause of your symptoms. They can refer you to a memory clinic or another specialist for further tests if needed.

Find out more about how to get a dementia diagnosis.

Tests for vascular dementia

There's no single test for vascular dementia.

The tests that are needed to make a diagnosis include:

an assessment of symptoms – for example, whether these are typical symptoms of vascular dementia
a full medical history, including asking about a history of conditions related to vascular dementia, such as strokes or high blood pressure
an assessment of mental abilities – this will usually involve several tasks and questions
a brain scan, such as an MRI scan or CT scan, to look for any changes that have happened in your brain

Find out more about the tests used to diagnose dementia.

Treatments for vascular dementia

There's currently no cure for vascular dementia and there's no way to reverse any loss of brain cells that happened before the condition was diagnosed.

But treatment can sometimes help slow down vascular dementia.

Treatment aims to tackle the underlying cause, which may reduce the speed at which brain cells are lost.

This will often involve:

eating a healthy, balanced diet
losing weight if you're overweight
stopping smoking
getting fit
cutting down on alcohol
taking medicines, such as those used to treat high blood pressure, lower cholesterol or prevent blood clots

Other treatments, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dementia activities (such as memory cafes) and psychological therapies, can help reduce the impact of any existing problems.

Outlook for vascular dementia

Vascular dementia will usually get worse over time. This can happen in sudden steps, with periods in between where the symptoms do not change much, but it's difficult to predict when this will happen.

Home-based help will usually be needed, and some people will eventually need care in a nursing home.

Although treatment can help, vascular dementia can significantly shorten life expectancy.

But this is highly variable, and many people live for several years with the condition, or die from some other cause.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, remember that you're not alone. The NHS and social services, as well as voluntary organisations, can provide advice and support for you and your family.

Causes of vascular dementia

Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, which damages and eventually kills brain cells.

This can happen as a result of:

narrowing and blockage of the small blood vessels inside the brain
a single stroke, where the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly cut off
lots of "mini strokes" (also called transient ischaemic attacks, or TIAs) that cause tiny but widespread damage to the brain

In many cases, these problems are linked to underlying conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and lifestyle factors, such as smoking and being overweight.

Tackling these might reduce your risk of vascular dementia in later life, although it's not yet clear exactly how much your risk of dementia can be reduced.

More information

Living with dementia

Care and support

How you can help

Social care and support guide

If you:

need help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability
care for someone regularly because they're ill, elderly or disabled, including family members

Our guide to care and support explains your options and where you can get support.

Dementia with Lewy bodies

Symptoms

Treatment

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), also known as Lewy body dementia, is one of the most common types of dementia.

Dementia is the name for problems with mental abilities caused by gradual changes and damage in the brain. It's rare in people under 65.

It tends to develop slowly and get gradually worse over several years.

Symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies

People with dementia with Lewy bodies may have:

hallucinations and hearing voices – seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not there
problems with understanding, thinking, memory and judgement – this is similar to Alzheimer's disease, although memory may be less affected in people with dementia with Lewy bodies
confusion or sleepiness – this can change over minutes or hours
slow movement, stiff limbs and tremors (uncontrollable shaking)
disturbed sleep, often with violent movements and shouting out
fainting spells, unsteadiness and falls
depression and anxiety

These problems can make daily activities increasingly difficult and someone with the condition may eventually be unable to look after themselves.

Getting medical advice

See a GP if you think you have early symptoms of dementia, especially if you're over 65 years of age.

If you're worried about someone else, encourage them to make an appointment with a GP and perhaps suggest that you go with them.

The GP can do some simple checks to try to find the cause of your symptoms and they can refer you to a memory clinic or another specialist for further tests if needed.

Tests for dementia with Lewy bodies

There's no single test for dementia with Lewy bodies.

The following may be needed to make a diagnosis:

an assessment of symptoms – for example, whether there are typical symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies
an assessment of mental abilities – this will usually involve a number of tasks and questions
blood tests to rule out conditions with similar symptoms
brain scans, such as an MRI scan, CT scan or a SPECT scan – these can detect signs of dementia or other problems with the brain

Treatments for dementia with Lewy bodies

There's currently no cure for dementia with Lewy bodies or any treatment that will slow it down.

But there are treatments that can help control some of the symptoms, possibly for several years.

Treatments include:

medicines to reduce hallucinations, confusion, drowsiness, movement problems and disturbed sleep
therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy for problems with movement, everyday tasks and communication
psychological therapies, such as cognitive stimulation (activities and exercises designed to improve memory, problem solving skills and language ability)
activities for dementia, such as memory cafes (drop-in sessions for people with memory problems and their carers to get support and advice)

Outlook for dementia with Lewy bodies

How quickly dementia with Lewy bodies gets worse varies from person to person.

Home-based help will usually be needed, and some people will eventually need care in a care home.

The average survival time after diagnosis is around 5 to 7 years. But this is highly variable and some people live much longer than this.

Causes of dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies is caused by clumps of protein forming inside brain cells. These abnormal deposits are called Lewy bodies.

These deposits are also found in people with Parkinson's disease, and they build up in areas of the brain responsible for functions such as thinking, visual perception and muscle movement.

It's not clear why the deposits develop and how exactly they damage the brain. It's thought that part of the problem is the proteins affecting the brain's normal functions by interfering with signals sent between brain cells.

Dementia with Lewy bodies usually occurs in people with no family history of the condition, although there have been very rare cases that seem to run in families.

More information

Living with dementia

Care and support

How you can help

Share your dementia experiences on the Alzheimer's Society website

Alzheimer's disease

Symptoms

Causes

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK.

Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. It can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.

The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not yet fully understood, although a number of things are thought to increase your risk of developing the condition.

These include:

increasing age
a family history of the condition
untreated depression, although depression can also be one of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
lifestyle factors and conditions associated with cardiovascular disease

Read more about the causes of Alzheimer's disease.

Signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition, which means the symptoms develop gradually over many years and eventually become more severe. It affects multiple brain functions.

The first sign of Alzheimer's disease is usually minor memory problems.

For example, this could be forgetting about recent conversations or events, and forgetting the names of places and objects.

As the condition develops, memory problems become more severe and further symptoms can develop, such as:

confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places
difficulty planning or making decisions
problems with speech and language
problems moving around without assistance or performing self-care tasks
personality changes, such as becoming aggressive, demanding and suspicious of others
hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there) and delusions (believing things that are untrue)
low mood or anxiety

Read more about the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Who is affected?

Alzheimer's disease is most common in people over the age of 65.

The risk of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia increases with age, affecting an estimated 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 and 1 in every 6 people over the age of 80.

But around 1 in every 20 people with Alzheimer's disease are under the age of 65. This is called early- or young-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Getting a diagnosis

As the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease progress slowly, it can be difficult to recognise that there's a problem. Many people feel that memory problems are simply a part of getting older.

Also, the disease process itself may (but not always) prevent people recognising changes in their memory. But Alzheimer's disease is not a "normal" part of the ageing process.

An accurate and timely diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can give you the best chance to prepare and plan for the future, as well as receive any treatment or support that may help.

If you're worried about your memory or think you may have dementia, it's a good idea to see a GP.

If possible, someone who knows you well should be with you as they can help describe any changes or problems they have noticed.

If you're worried about someone else, encourage them to make an appointment and perhaps suggest that you go along with them.

There's no single test that can be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. And it's important to remember that memory problems do not necessarily mean you have Alzheimer's disease.

A GP will ask questions about any problems you're experiencing and may do some tests to rule out other conditions.

If Alzheimer's disease is suspected, you may be referred to a specialist service to:

assess your symptoms in more detail
organise further testing, such as brain scans if necessary
create a treatment and care plan

Read more about diagnosing Alzheimer's disease.

How Alzheimer's disease is treated

There's currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but medicines are available that can help relieve some of the symptoms.

Various other types of support are also available to help people with Alzheimer's live as independently as possible, such as making changes to your home environment so it's easier to move around and remember daily tasks.

Psychological treatments such as cognitive stimulation therapy may also be offered to help support your memory, problem solving skills and language ability.

Read more about treating Alzheimer's disease.

Outlook

People with Alzheimer's disease can live for several years after they start to develop symptoms. But this can vary considerably from person to person.

Alzheimer's disease is a life-limiting illness, although many people diagnosed with the condition will die from another cause.

As Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological condition, it can cause problems with swallowing.

This can lead to aspiration (food being inhaled into the lungs), which can cause frequent chest infections.

It's also common for people with Alzheimer's disease to eventually have difficulty eating and have a reduced appetite.

There's increasing awareness that people with Alzheimer's disease need palliative care.

This includes support for families, as well as the person with Alzheimer's.

Can Alzheimer's disease be prevented?

As the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not clear, there's no known way to prevent the condition.

But there are things you can do that may reduce your risk or delay the onset of dementia, such as:

stopping smoking and cutting down on alcohol
eating a healthy, balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight
staying physically fit and mentally active

These measures have other health benefits, such as lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease and improving your overall mental health.

Read more about preventing Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia research

There are dozens of dementia research projects going on around the world, many of which are based in the UK.

If you have a diagnosis of dementia or are worried about memory problems, you can help scientists better understand the disease by taking part in research.

If you're a carer for someone with dementia, you can also take part in research.

You can sign up to take part in trials on the NHS Join Dementia Research website.

More information

Dementia can affect all aspects of a person's life, as well as their family's.

If you have been diagnosed with dementia, or you're caring for someone with the condition, remember that advice and support is available to help you live well.

Social care and support guide

If you:

need help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability
care for someone regularly because they're ill, elderly or disabled - including family members

Our guide to care and support explains your options and where you can get support.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.

There are 2 main types of diabetes:

type 1 diabetes – a lifelong condition where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin properly

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, over 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.

High blood sugar that develops during pregnancy is known as gestational diabetes. It usually goes away after giving birth.

Non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (pre-diabetes)

Many people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes. This is known as non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, or pre-diabetes.

People with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but the risk can be reduced through lifestyle changes.

If you have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, you may be eligible for the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. The programme helps people make lasting lifestyle changes and has been shown to help prevent type 2 diabetes.

People with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia are also recommended to have a blood test every year to monitor their blood sugar levels.

It's very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it's likely to get worse if left untreated and can cause long-term health problems.

When to see a GP

Visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which include:

feeling very thirsty
peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
feeling very tired
weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
blurred vision

Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days.

Weight loss is common in people with type 1 diabetes when it first develops and before it's treated, but it's less common in people with type 2 diabetes.

Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general, or there are no symptoms at all.

Causes of diabetes

The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach).

When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy.

However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there's either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced does not work properly.

There are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes.

You can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes through healthy eating, regular exercise and achieving a healthy body weight.

You may be more at risk of type 2 diabetes if you:

are living with overweight or obesity
do not have a healthy diet
have a family history of type 2 diabetes
are of Asian, Black African or African Caribbean origin
take certain medicines such as steroids for a long time
have high blood pressure
have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy

Living with diabetes

If you're diagnosed with diabetes, you'll need to eat healthily, take regular exercise and have regular checks including blood tests.

You can use the BMI healthy weight calculator to check whether you're a healthy weight.

Try to quit smoking if you smoke, and cut down on alcohol.

People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes also require regular insulin injections for the rest of their life.

Type 2 diabetes can get worse over time and people living with type 2 diabetes often need medicine, usually in the form of tablets or injections.

However, some people can put their type 2 diabetes into remission by losing weight, where their blood sugar is reduced below the diabetes range. Some people are able to do this through a low-calorie diet, but this is not suitable for everyone, so it's important to get medical advice first.

Read about:

Diabetic eye screening

Everyone with diabetes aged 12 years old or over should be invited to have their eyes screened regularly.

If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it's not treated.

Screening, which includes a 30-minute check to examine the back of the eyes, is a way of diagnosing diabetic retinopathy and detecting the condition early where possible so it can be treated more effectively. In many people, this can stop it affecting their vision or reduce the chance of it getting worse.

It's important to see a doctor if you notice any problems with your eyesight. Do not wait for your next screening appointment.

Diabetic foot problems

Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet and cause a loss of feeling. It can also reduce the blood supply to your feet. This means you may not notice if your foot is sore or injured, and foot injuries do not heal as well. This can lead to ulcers and infections, and sometimes amputations can be needed in serious cases.

Adults with diabetes should have their feet checked every year by a healthcare professional.

It's important to see a healthcare professional as soon as possible if you notice any problems with your feet.

You can read more about diabetes and foot problems on the Diabetes UK website.

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Causes

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is recorded with 2 numbers. The systolic pressure (higher number) is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.

The diastolic pressure (lower number) is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels between heartbeats when blood is pumped around your heart.

They're both measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

As a general guide:

high blood pressure is considered to be from 140/90mmHg or more if your reading was taken at a pharmacy, GP surgery or clinic (or an average of 135/85mmHg if it was taken at home)
if you're over the age of 80, high blood pressure is considered to be from 150/90mmHg or more if your reading was taken at a pharmacy, GP surgery or clinic (or an average of 145/85mmHg if it was taken at home)
ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while the target for people over the age of 80 years old is below 150/90mmHg (or 145/85mmHg if it was taken at home)

Blood pressure readings from 121/81mmHg to 139/89mmHg could mean you're at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.

Everyone's blood pressure will be slightly different. What's considered low or high for you may be normal for someone else.

Understanding your blood pressure reading

If you have a recent blood pressure reading use the NHS Check your blood pressure tool to understand what your reading means. You'll also get information about what to do next.

Risks of high blood pressure

If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.

Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:

If you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of these health conditions.

Check your blood pressure

The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test.

All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years.

Some people from African, Afro-Caribbean or South Asian heritage may have high blood pressure at a younger age and are encouraged to get their blood pressure checked earlier.

Getting this done is easy and could save your life.

You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:

at most pharmacies
at your GP surgery
as part of your NHS Health Check
in some workplaces

You can also check your blood pressure yourself with a home blood pressure monitor.

Find out more about getting a blood pressure test

Get a free blood pressure check

If you're aged 40 and over, and are eligible, you may be able to get a free blood pressure check at a local pharmacy.

Find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks

Things that can increase your risk of getting high blood pressure

It's not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but there are things that can increase your risk.

You might be more at risk if you:

are overweight
eat too much salt and do not eat enough fruit and vegetables
do not do enough exercise
drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
smoke
have a lot of stress
are over 65 years old
have a relative with high blood pressure
are of black African or Black Caribbean descent
live in a deprived area

Making healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it's already high.

High blood pressure is also sometimes caused by an underlying health condition or taking a certain medicine.

Treatment for high blood pressure

Doctors can help you keep your blood pressure to a safe level using:

lifestyle changes
medicines

What works best is different for each person.

Talk to your doctor to help you decide about treatment.

This patient decision aid from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (PDF, 132kb) can also help you to understand your treatment options.

Lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure

These lifestyle changes can help prevent and lower high blood pressure:

reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet
cut back on alcohol
lose weight if you're overweight
exercise regularly
cut down on caffeine
stop smoking

Some people with high blood pressure may also need to take 1 or more medicines to stop their blood pressure getting too high.

Medicines for high blood pressure

If you're diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend taking 1 or more medicines to keep it under control.

These come as tablets and usually need to be taken once a day.

Common blood pressure medicines include:

ACE inhibitors – such as enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril
angiotensin-2 receptor blockers (ARBs) – such as candesartan, irbesartan, losartan, valsartan and olmesartan
calcium channel blockers – such as amlodipine, felodipine and nifedipine or diltiazem and verapamil
diuretics – such as indapamide and bendroflumethiazide
beta blockers – such as atenolol and bisoprolol
alpha blockers – such as doxazosin
other diuretics – such as amiloride and spironolactone

The medicine recommended for you will depend on things like how high your blood pressure is, your age and your ethnicity.

Bowel incontinence

Check if you have bowel incontinence

You might have bowel incontinence if you cannot control when you poo. Symptoms of bowel incontinence include:

poo leaking out without you being able to stop it
feeling like you need to poo, but not being able to get to the toilet in time
not being able to get fully clean after going to the toilet
seeing streaks or stains of poo in your underwear

See a GP if:

you think you have bowel incontinence
you have any changes in your poo that are not getting better, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you

Try not to be embarrassed. The doctor will be used to talking about these symptoms.

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

your poo is black or dark red
you have bloody diarrhoea

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

How bowel incontinence is diagnosed

If a GP thinks you might have bowel incontinence they:

will talk to you about your symptoms
might ask to examine you by feeling your tummy (abdomen) and feeling inside your bottom with a finger (they'll be wearing gloves)
might ask you to give a poo sample

They might refer you to a specialist for more tests such as:

blood tests
a colonoscopy (a test to check inside your bowels using a thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside it)
an ultrasound scan

Treatment for bowel incontinence

The treatment you have for bowel incontinence will depend on what's causing your symptoms and how severe they are.

Treatment from a GP

A GP might recommend:

a review of your diet and any medicines you take
medicines to make you poo less often or medicines to soften your poo (laxatives)
incontinence pads or pants
plugs that go inside your bottom

If these things do not help, they might refer you to a specialist service.

Treatment from a specialist service

A specialist incontinence service can:

review your diet and any medicines you take
recommend exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor and your bottom
recommend techniques to help empty the lower part of your bowels

If these things do not help, you might be referred for surgery.

Surgery for bowel incontinence

You may have surgery if other treatments have not helped or your symptoms are severe.

Surgery can include:

repairing your muscles in your bottom that control when you poo (anal sphincter)
making a new anal sphincter using muscle taken from your thigh
putting an artificial sphincter in your bottom, so you can control when you poo
putting a small device under your skin in your bottom that uses electrical pulses to help you control when you poo
having a small tube (catheter) put into your tummy through a small hole to flush water through, which helps empty your bowels
making a small opening in your tummy (stoma) to attach a pouch to collect your poo

The surgeon will explain the risks and benefits of the operation, and what will happen.

Find out more about hospital treatment

Support if you have bowel incontinence

Get help from NHS talking therapies

Having bowel incontinence can affect your mental health. It can help to talk about how you're feeling.

You can get talking therapies for free on the NHS. These services can help you find ways to cope.

Help is available in person, by video, over the phone or as an online course.

Find an NHS talking therapies service

Support from charities

There are also national charities that can offer support and information about bowel incontinence.

Bladder & Bowel Community

Information and support for people with bladder and bowel conditions.

Bladder & Bowel UK

Information and support for people with bladder and bowel conditions.

Get a RADAR key

RADAR keys unlock lots of accessible public toilets in places like cafés, restaurants and shopping centres.

It might help to get one, so you can easily access a toilet when you're in public. You can usually get one from a charity.

Causes of bowel incontinence

Bowel incontinence can happen for lots of reasons and is common. Try not to be embarrassed.

You may get it for reasons such as if you:

eat certain foods or drinks, for example spicy foods or drinks with caffeine in them
have weaker muscles around your bottom – this can happen as you get older or because of things like hormonal changes or childbirth
have a health condition that affects your digestive system such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn's disease
have a health condition that makes you less aware of when you need to poo, such as dementia, a learning disability, a stroke or damage to the nerves in your spine

It can be a result of more than one of these things.

Children can also get bowel incontinence. Sometimes they avoid going to the toilet, which means their poo hardens and runny poo leaks out, or they do not make it to the toilet in time.

Dysphagia (swallowing problems)

Dysphagia is where you have problems swallowing. It's usually caused by certain medicines or another condition, such as acid reflux or a stroke.

Check if it's dysphagia

Some people with dysphagia have problems swallowing certain foods or drinks, while others cannot swallow at all.

Signs of dysphagia include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, sometimes through the nose
a feeling that food is stuck in your throat or chest
a gurgly, wet-sounding voice when eating or drinking

You may also drool and have problems chewing your food.

Over time, dysphagia can also cause symptoms such as weight loss, dehydration and repeated chest infections.

Causes of dysphagia

Dysphagia is usually caused by another health condition and can happen at any age.

Common causes of swallowing problems include:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
having a learning disability
a cleft lip and palate in babies
heartburn and acid reflux, especially in children or people who have gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
problems with your breathing caused by conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
a condition that affects the nervous system or brain, such as cerebral palsy, a stroke, dementia or multiple sclerosis
cancer, such as mouth cancer or oesophageal cancer

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

You, your child or someone you care for:

has difficulty swallowing
coughs or chokes while eating or drinking
feels like something's stuck in the throat after eating
keeps bringing food or milk back up, sometimes through the nose
cries a lot or arches their back when feeding
has a wet, gurgly voice after eating or drinking
is short of breath after eating or drinking
gets lots of chest infections

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Treatments for dysphagia

Your GP will examine you and may refer you to a specialist for further tests.

You may also be referred to a speech and language therapist or a dietitian for advice about swallowing and your diet.

Treatment for dysphagia depends on what's causing it and how severe it is.

If your swallowing problems are being caused by a condition like acid reflux, the problem may get better on its own.

But if the cause is longer term, you may need specialist treatment to make eating and drinking as safe as possible.

This may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
feeding tubes through your nose or a hole into your stomach
surgery to widen your oesophagus
injections to relax the muscles in your oesophagus and allow food and drink to reach the stomach

Group title goes here

Just select the areas you'd like support in by clicking the

Carer Support

Carers' Trust

Age UK

Bridgit

Carers UK

Veterans Gateway

Carers UK Animated Video Guides

Click below to play animation

How to create a Carer Emergency Plan

Learn more about Carers Emergency Card Schemes

Carers' Trust

Carers UK

Samaritans

Alzheimers Society

Dementia UK

Mind

Next Steps

Together In Dementia Everyday (TIDE)

You have 4 notifications

Care Circle

Available conversations

Group title goes here

Just select the areas you'd like support in by clicking the

Frontotemporal dementia

Contents

Symptoms of frontotemporal dementia

Getting medical advice

Tests for frontotemporal dementia

Treatments for frontotemporal dementia

Outlook for frontotemporal dementia

Causes of frontotemporal dementia

Other names for frontotemporal dementia

More information

Living with dementia

Care and support

How you can help

Vascular dementia

Contents

Symptoms of vascular dementia

Getting medical advice

Tests for vascular dementia

Treatments for vascular dementia

Outlook for vascular dementia

Causes of vascular dementia

More information

Living with dementia

Care and support

How you can help

Social care and support guide

Dementia with Lewy bodies

Contents

Symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies

Getting medical advice

Tests for dementia with Lewy bodies

Treatments for dementia with Lewy bodies

Outlook for dementia with Lewy bodies

Causes of dementia with Lewy bodies

More information

Living with dementia

Care and support

How you can help

Alzheimer's disease

Contents

Signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease

Who is affected?

Getting a diagnosis

How Alzheimer's disease is treated

Outlook

Can Alzheimer's disease be prevented?

Dementia research

More information

Social care and support guide

Diabetes

Contents

Non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (pre-diabetes)

When to see a GP

Causes of diabetes

Living with diabetes