THE DEMENTIA EPIDEMIC – CAN PRIVATE INVESTORS PLAY A ROLE?

Dementia hit the headlines again last week when it was revealed that a change in sense of humour could be an early sign of the condition taking hold. The study, conducted by the University College of London reported that laughing at normal things like a badly parked car, a barking dog or inappropriately laughing at tragic events could all be indications of dementia. Back in September of this year, we heard more bad news as we learnt that a staggering 1 in 3 people born in 2015 will live with dementia at some point. The report found that 27% of boys 37% of girls born today will be affected by what increasingly looks like a dementia epidemic. The press labelled the figures as a “looming national health crisis”, but the reality is – the crisis is already upon us.

There are now more households in the UK where the head of the house is over 50 than there are households led by the under 50s. And, with lifespans getting ever longer, more people than ever are falling within the age demographic traditionally associated with the onset of dementia. If you attended the Elite Investor Summit a little over a week ago, you’ll have had the privilege of listening to a mesmerizing presentation, delivered by one of the world’s top demographic analysts, Harry Dent (pictured with yours truly in this release). In it he talked in depth about how purchasing trends around the world were heavily influenced by the baby boom generation. Harry’s research pinpoints what we spend money on at every stage of life, from first homes around 28 to biggest homes at 41 even the mid-life crisis Harley Davidson at 48. He graphically describes the Baby Boomer generation as ‘a pig passing through a python’, such is the scale of that generation. From January 1st 2016, the first of those baby boomers will reach 70 years of age and every year from then on, there will be an avalanche of Brits reaching that landmark every single day.

We already have a shortage of care homes in the UK, so just think of the demand on the system once the effects of the baby boom generation come to fruition. Harry Dent himself said “we will never be able to build enough care homes to meet the requirement” and he’s right. A combination of rising life expectancy and the “baby boom effect” will see the demand for dementia and palliative care grow exponentially for the next 30-40 years at least. And if you receive our Wealth Watch magazine (click here to subscribe – like so much of our content it’s provided free), you’ll know that we can now invest in UK dementia care homes offering predictable, long term returns, multiple exit strategies and a relatively low investment entry point. But it’s important to understand that these returns are not provided by cutting corners in the level of care provided to residents living with dementia.

Looking after people’s mums and dads when they are at their most vulnerable with dementia is an enormous responsibility. If you’ve ever visited a local authority run dementia care home, you’ll know why they call them God’s Waiting Room. Rows of people lined up in high back chairs, often oblivious to their surroundings. Shouts and screams from those still in their rooms and incapable of making the journey to the ‘lounge’. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody’s parents or grand-parents. But the care home developers that we have chosen to partner with are very different. They’re on a mission to change the way we look after those living with dementia. Not only do they offer state-of-the-art facilities, but they also invest heavily in their care teams so that they deliver a unique, person centred approach to the care itself. The ‘triangle of care’ as it is called, is a method used to build a therapeutic relationship between the resident, the staff and the family, so that an individual’s emotional, physical, social and spiritual needs are all met. It’s a million miles away from the “bathe them, feed them and sit them in a chair all day” approach that many care homes have become known for.

Why not join me on my next Wealth Webinar next Wednesday, 25th November, when I’ll walk you through the reasons why I believe this is the investment opportunity of the decade. Harry Dent disagrees with me. He thinks it’s the investment opportunity of the next three decades.

For more information on the topics contained within this article or the the Elite Investor Club, please contact Graham Rowan on +44 (0)208 940 7000 or email graham@eliteinvestorclub.com.

Until next time.


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