Meet the team in Cork helping to make dementia become a more manageable chronic disease

'Early diagnosis will be commonplace, it will be normalised and early intervention will slow the progression of dementia'

(Left to right) Ruth Sheehan, CNM 2; Jennifer Appadoo, speech and language therapist; Joanne McCarthy, clerical officer; Mary O’Donovan, occupational therapist; Dr Rónán O’Caoimh, consultant geriatrician and clinical lead; Ann Marie O’Neill, social worker; Dr Eleanor Marks; Sharon Maher, ANP (D) and Dr Mihaela Aljboor at the new regional centre. Picture: Chani Anderson

Dementia could become “a more manageable chronic disease” in 15 to 20 years with medicines, treatments, and better understanding expected to make a significant difference, a leading Cork geriatrician has said.

Based at the Mercy University Hospital in Cork City, a regional specialist memory clinic for Munster has already seen 250 patients, one of several changes in dementia care impacting an estimated 64,000 people living with the condition in Ireland.