Government urged to invest in dementia services

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) is calling on the Government to invest €8.23 million in dementia supports and services to address growing demand for services across the country.

The ASI is calling on Government to improve equity of access for people living with dementia and family carers through investment in community day care services, dementia-specific home care, and also to increase supports for people with young-onset dementia.

The recommendations are contained in the ASI’s Pre-Budget Submission 2027, A Clear Path to Better Community Supports – Building a Dementia-Inclusive Ireland, which was launched recently at Buswell's Hotel in Dublin.

There are over 64,000 people with dementia in Ireland, and this is forecast to more than double to 150,000 by 2045.

An estimated 11,000 new cases of dementia in Ireland each year, and anyone can get dementia – including people in their 30s/40s/50s. Young-onset dementia refers to a diagnosis under the age of 65.

The submission asks Government to build on dementia commitments in the Programme for Governmen t, with an additional €8,238,730 sought in 2027.

Key asks in the submission are:

€240,000 to develop five new dementia-specific Day Care Centres

€100,000 to expand capacity in existing Day Care Centres

€716,100 to increase Day Care at Home supports, reaching an additional 173 people

€6,163,200 to provide an additional 180,000 Dementia-Specific Home Care Support hours

€629,000 to expand the Dementia Adviser Service

€210,080 to fund Activity Groups for younger-onset and early-stage dementia

€75,000 for external evaluation of the Activity Clubs

€105,350 to expand Maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (MCST).