Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 December 2018
53. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of persons with Alzheimer's disease or dementia in County Mayo; the projection for same in 2030; the additional supports that will be provided in the coming years to adapt to the upturn in incidence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50727/18]
View answerBased on the 2016 census and dementia prevalence data published by the European Collaboration on Dementia, it is estimated that approximately 51,000 (8%) of the 637,567 people nationally aged 65 or older and 4,000 (0.18%) of the approximately 2.2 million people aged 30-64 has dementia. Based on these prevalence rates, and the proportion of its population in these age cohorts, it can be calculated that an approximate total of 1,940 people in Mayo have dementia.
Applying the European Collaboration on Dementia’s age and gender-specific dementia prevalence rates, an anticipated increase in the number of people living longer lives, and using a mid-range projection from the CSO, an estimated 99,000 people in Ireland will have dementia by 2030. It is not possible to say with certainty how many people in Mayo will have dementia, as the CSO does not have population projections broken down by county.
The National Dementia Strategy aims to improve dementia care to allow people with dementia to live well for as long as possible. The National Dementia Office (NDO) has worked to develop evidence-based care pathways for people with dementia and in the areas of diagnosis, post-diagnostic supports, and the prescribing of anti-psychotic medications. The HSE provides standard and dementia-specific Homecare Packages to people with dementia to enable them to continue living with assistance at home. Funding has been secured through the Dormant Accounts Fund for additional projects.
A recently completed mapping exercise provides a useful snapshot and baseline study into what, where and when dementia-specific community-based services and supports are being offered. The study has also been used to inform a service finder hosted on the NDO's website. This allows people to search for dementia-specific community services in their area.
In terms of plans to further expand support levels for people with dementia, the quantum of services to be provided by the HSE is being considered as part of the HSE's 2019 National Service Planning.
