Sexual needs of dementia patients ‘no-go area’

Discussions and policies around how to meet the sexual needs of people with dementia who are in residential care need to be put on the agenda to afford them the same rights and entitlements as everyone else.

This was one of the messages to health care professionals attending a “Living Well with Dementia” conference in Cork yesterday, delivered by speaker Eileen O’Keeffe, who said Ireland lags way behind countries like Australia “where double beds and shared rooms” are often provided to meet residents’ needs.

“We are at the total other end of the spectrum here,” Ms O’Keeffe said.