A progressive neurological disorder called dementia significantly influences people's lives and their families' lives. Dementia is a clinical syndrome in which people experience a loss of cognitive and emotional abilities. It is the general term for the loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and thinking abilities that are severe enough to affect people's daily lives. Approximately 50 million people worldwide have dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases yearly. (BMC) Dementia is becoming a major healthcare issue in Korea as the population ages. The prevalence of dementia in Korea in 2020 is estimated to be 10.25% among those over 65 years, around 830,000 people. (BioMed Central)

The number is expected to rise due to increased life expectancy and improved healthcare services. Different types of dementia include Alzheimer, Vascular, Parkinson's, Frontotemporal, and many more. The most well-known of them all is Alzheimer's, which is 60-70% of the cases of dementia. Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens over time. Even in Korea, about 60% of dementia cases are Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's disease poses many difficulties and significantly impacts people's lives. 

The social stigma associated with Alzheimer's and dementia is one of the major challenges in Korea. Due to this stigma, patients and their families frequently experience delayed diagnoses, limited access to care and support, and social isolation. These difficulties are further exacerbated by a lack of knowledge, which makes it difficult to intervene early and manage the disease effectively. In addition, providing care for those with Alzheimer's can be emotionally, physically, and financially taxing. For family members, juggling caregiving obligations with other tasks becomes challenging, frequently resulting in caregiver burnout and a decline in both the patient's and the caregiver's quality of life. Additionally, long-term care is required due to the degenerative nature of Alzheimer's, which puts a load on the healthcare system and its resources.

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