There are several things you can do to reduce your risk of dementiaNew research suggests that avoiding high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking in middle age could help keep dementia at bay. In light of this research, we spoke to Professor Arshad Rather, consultant geriatrician at Medical Express Clinic, who highlighted the following six key things everyone over 50 should know about dementia. “Other types include vascular dementia, mixed Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson’s disease dementia,” lists Rather. “We know people who have problems with blood pressure and high cholesterol can go on to have issues with developing dementia, so it’s important to manage these risk factors early on,” says Rather. cognitive impairment and dementia (Alamy Stock Photo)Having social connections is really important for the brain.