A proposal for an appropriate nomenclature to late-onset cognitive impairment for Hong Kong in the 21st century: dementia revisited.

Population ageing has led to an increase in the prevalence of dementia in Hong Kong. While the degenerative process for dementia spans over years, in a proportion of subjects the cognitive impairment is associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Stigmatisation to dementia as a result of the neuropsychiatric symptoms is a significant barrier to seeking early help. Stigma is broadly defined as an attribute that is deeply discrediting and leads to the person having diminished accessibility to participate in social relationships.1 Stigma related to mental disorders is common, and is associated with labelling, stereotyping, and discrimination.2,3