Kildare Senator raises issue of Dementia and Alzheimer’s care at Council of Europe meeting
A Kildare Senator and Chair of the All-Party Oireachtas Group on Dementia has succeeded in asking the Council of Europe to prioritise Dementia and Alzheimer’s care at an EU level.
Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O' Loughlin recently called on the Council of Europe, with particular reference to EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou, to prioritise Dementia and Alzheimer’s care at an EU level.
She made the plea just one day after she called on her government colleagues to prioritise the provision of dementia services for South Kildare in the upcoming Budget 2022.
Senator O’Loughlin said at the meeting: "I would like to speak about those who do not have a voice neither here nor in their own countries because sadly in many instances they no longer have their voices and it remains to families and others to advocate for them."
"I am speaking about people living with dementia or Alzheimer’s who have been hugely impacted by Covid."
She continued: "While member states need to invest heavily in community day services and in family carer support packages, I believe that at a European level focus on dementia and Alzheimer’s care must be prioritised.
EU focus and investment should go into earlier onset dementia supports, dementia research and prevention via dementia inclusive communities.
We should also focus on modifiable risk factors of dementia which may prevent or delay up to 40 per cent of dementia diagnosis which is not widely known," she added.
In response to Senator O’Loughlin’s plea, Commissioner Kyriakidou agreed to prioritise Dementia and Alzheimer’s care at an EU level.
According to recent comments from Senator O' Loughlin, Kildare was named among 11 counties having trouble providing dementia care.
She has since said that she will be working with her colleague Minister Mary Butler TD to address this issue.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call Samaritans Ireland at 116 123 or email [email protected], or you can find helpful resources on the official website of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland by clicking here.