Alzheimer's victims need treatment much earlier

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE sufferers need to get treatment a lot earlier, if the stigma associated with dementia is to be reduced and their quality of life improved, experts said yesterday.

The plea came from the Alzheimer Society of Ireland after a survey revealed that 70% of people in this country know little or nothing about the condition.

Two national surveys, one among doctors and the other among the public, show a growing stigma about the disease and a reluctance among GPs to make Alzheimer's diagnoses.

The facts revealed in the surveys speak for themselves, according to Maurice O’Connell, CEO of the Alzheimer's Society: “Seventy per cent of people in this country know little or nothing about Alzheimer's dementia, which shows an increase of 6% in the last three years. And 80% of doctors believe that only two out of every 10 families are presenting early enough for diagnosis.

“The surveys also showed that 60% of GPs have expressed serious concerns over current management practices, which they believe are failing to recognise the needs of the various people involved in the process of providing care, which includes key groups such as the families, patients and those working directly in primary and secondary care.”

Doctors also have a role to play in helping sufferers and the Government must do their part by providing more beds and respite services and helping develop a framework for best practice management of dementia in this country, the society said.

When asked to highlight some of the key service problems, 73% of GPs focused on the urgent need for greater respite care. Doctors were quick to highlight areas where acute bed shortages were adding to a crisis situation. Doctors views were borne out by the findings from the public survey, which showed that 64% of the public favour the provision of home care support in tandem with short-term respite.

And 40% of doctors found that families had many concerns beyond the illness itself, with issues such as the power of attorney, provision of wills, loss of independence just some of the matters raised. Also 45% of doctors believe that the patient doesn’t properly understand the diagnosis provided, which might explain why one in five GPs feels a reluctance to make a diagnosis in the first place.

As part of its commitment to addressing some of these issues, the Alzheimer's Society will host a series of national forums this week. One took place in Dublin’s Gresham Hotel yesterday. Further sessions continue in Limerick’s Mary Immaculate College tonight at 7.30pm and tomorrow night, at the same time at Galway’s Menlo Park Hotel.

Alzheimer's Society of Ireland can be contacted on 1800 202455.