Government sets out plan to tackle growing dementia problem

ABOUT 4,000 cases of dementia are identified every year in Ireland but many people with the condition have never been diagnosed, a report reveals.

It says early diagnosis, and sometimes any diagnosis, is the exception rather than the rule and suggests that without the necessary community support, people with dementia could continue to be placed in long-term care prematurely.

The report lays the foundation for a national strategy promised by the Government. It warns the incidence of the disease is higher than cancer and heart disease.