Bernard Allen
Question:420 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the facilities which are available for sufferers of Alzheimer's disease in the Southern Health Board region. [26496/01]
Written Answers. - Alzheimer's Disease.
The provision of health services in counties Cork and Kerry is a matter for the Southern Health Board.
The board has advised that sufferers of Alzheimer's disease who are cared for in the community have access to a range of community services, including public health nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, general practitioner services, home help services and respite care services. Provision for Alzheimer's sufferers is also specifically made in a number of the board's day care centres at present. In addition, some Alzheimer's sufferers attend day care centres on days not specifically designated for this purpose, depending on the individuals condition and the capacity of the centre.
There is provision in the National Development Plan 2000-2006 for additional day care centres and discussions are ongoing with the intention of providing two dementia-specific centres under the terms of the plan, at Bessboro, Cork and Kilgarvan, County Kerry. A further day care centre has been built recently at Cobh, County Cork, where it is intended to provide two days a week service for Alzheimer's sufferers and three days a week facilities for older people.
The Southern Health Board works closely with and supports voluntary organisations engaged in the provision of services for Alzheimer's sufferers. Voluntary organisations assisted in this regard include: Alzheimer Society which provides a day care centre in COFFA House in Cork three days a week and similar services in a day care centre in Lower Bear Forest, Mallow – in addition, it provides an outreach home support service and an information helpline; St. Luke's Home, Mahon, a specifically designed 30 bed unit offering residential care; Cork Alzheimer's Foundation, Windmill Road, Cork which offers day care and home support services; Rosemary Centre, Tralee, which provides a five day service and an information helpline. Residential care for Alzheimer's sufferers is provided in St. Stephen's Hospital, Cork, the elderly services in St.
Finbarr's Hospital, Cork and St. Patrick's Hospital, Mount Alvernis Hospital, Mallow. Age care evaluation clinics are held in Tralee General Hospital where dementia patients are seen and evaluated in a multi-disciplinary setting along with the liaison sisters. Nursing home subvention is paid in respect of Alzheimer's sufferers maintained in nursing homes. A consultant psychiatrist, with a special interest in old age psychiatry, has recently been appointed to the South-Lee mental health services.