Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House today for this very positive and timely debate on how best to move forward in this country in looking after people with dementia and on the wider topic of brain health. Senator Hoey referred to the briefing we attended yesterday which was so positive and enlightening. I learned so much from it and got a different view of how to care for my own health and that of my parents and my partner. It was really enlightening and I thank those who organised it.

I want to acknowledge the work that the Minister of State has done since assuming office and the work of my party colleague, Senator O'Loughlin, as chair of the all-party Oireachtas group on dementia and Alzheimer's disease. As a member of that group, it has been a pleasure to work with all of the members alongside the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. The Minister of State served as chair of that group previously and what better ministerial post to have, having worked so hard on this issue? She has brought forward many of the proposals made at meetings of the group.

Senator Mullen spoke passionately, kindly and delicately about his experience of caring for his father when he developed Alzheimer's disease. A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or dementia can be so frightening for the individual and his or her family. People wonder how they are going to give the individual the life they deserve and how they will meet all of life's struggles and challenges in the context of the diagnosis.

One of the main messages from yesterday's meeting was that there is so much hope. It was so positive and empowering. The briefing outlined what we can do to prevent dementia, what we can do to help and what is happening in the area of research to make outcomes better in the future. Alzheimer's disease and dementia affect so many families and communities. There are over 64,000 people in Ireland currently living with dementia, with the numbers predicted to rise to 150,000 by 2050.

It is very important to acknowledge the family carers, who are often women. Having just had statements on International Women's Day, it is important to acknowledge that most family carers and home carers in this country are women. We must all support advancing the rights of carers. Another strong message from yesterday's briefing was that up 40% of dementia could be preventable. It is important to address early risk factors such as hearing loss, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and depression. There are interventions that can reverse cognitive decline through education, exercise, stimulation, and social engagement. Further to this, there is a suite of significant new medical treatments becoming available which slow down early onset.

Addressing Oireachtas Members yesterday, the consultant physician in geriatric and stroke medicine at Tallaght Hospital Professor Sean Kennelly said that dementia is the most significant health condition globally for which we have no definitive treatments but that we are on the cusp of a new era of better interventions to prevent, diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. He added that it is imperative that we educate people in order that they understand what a brain-healthy lifestyle is and they take action to reduce the risks. Despite all of the struggles and the very real difficulties and challenges faced by those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, there was such optimism at that briefing yesterday about working on brain health.

I really welcome the Minister of State's work on brain health awareness. A new working group has been convened by the national dementia office. The HSE's health and well-being unit will run a brain health awareness week in March and will collate important information on brain health from a public attitude survey on dementia. In addition, the brain health project manager will commence work in 2022 to support the delivery of those actions recommended by the working group and will support national campaigns and programmes to incorporate dementia risk reduction. There is so much work being done, with much more to do. I congratulate the Minister of State on securing additional funding for 11 new dementia advisers. I acknowledge the work done by the Minister of State, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and all of the people across the nation who are working really hard, not least the family carers. I also acknowledge the patients with dementia who are upping their own marks and making their own brain health better every single day.