A new Trinity College study has found that just 11 per cent of nursing homes have dedicated dementia care units.
The research found that Sligo, Wicklow, Carlow, Westmeath, Kilkenny and Offaly have no such units at all - with half of all facilities located in just five counties.
There are currently 48,000 people living with dementia and 50,000 carers in Ireland. However, despite a significant increase in the number of people with dementia in Ireland, there is currently a lack of comprehensive information available to both the medical community and families about the state of dementia care nationally.
The researchers surveyed a total of 602 nursing homes in Ireland (78% high response rate).
They found that only 54 nursing homes (11% of all those surveyed) provided dementia specific segregated care in small scale domestic units. This compares with up to 33% in other countries like the Netherlands and Norway where their respective governments have set targets to increase this type of long-term care.
The survey also identified that the bulk of the specialist care (63%) was provided by the private sector.
The survey responses also enabled the researchers to develop a resource manual for family caregivers wishing to place their relatives with dementia in a specialist care unit. This publication, entitled ‘Specialist Care Units for People with Dementia in Ireland’ is an easy to read, guide for family caregivers and health service professionals. The guide lists the contact details of 54 self-identified Specialist Care Units and can be downloaded for free from the DSIDC website here.
