Politicans call for more resources to help dementia patients
Derry councillor Mark H Durkan has called on Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to pump more resources into helping people with Alzheimer's.
Colr Durkan made the call after a new report suggested the number of people with dementia may be higher than originally thought.
"The findings of this report are of no great surprise, yet remain an issue of great concern," he said.
"With an ageing population, society here must prepare to deal with the problems associated with and suffered by elderly people.
"Services to the elderly and Alzheimer's sufferers are already stretched to the limit. There must be a strategy and investment to enable us to deal with what is going to be the biggest challenge facing the health service and society as a whole in the coming years. I call on the Health Minister to treat this issue as a priority," he said.
Foyle Sinn Fin MLA Martina Anderson described the report as "worrying."
"We know that primary care has an essential role to play in the prevention, detection and management of dementia. We now need to see greater commitment and resources to focus on early diagnosis intervention and treatment. We need to deliver improved access to general health and social care interventions for people with dementia.
We also need to tackle issues of stigmatization because we also know that people with dementia can be excluded from residential care.
"Our health services also need to take the measures to plan ahead for these projected increases and the need for additional care and expenditure. They need be provided with the resources to cope with the extra pressures in the times ahead."
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Weather for Derry
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 9 C
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