More Funding Needed for `Dementia Epidemic'

By Giles Brown, The Press 

September 22, 2008 

New Zealand 

New Zealand must act to cope with a "dementia epidemic" that could see more than 150,000 Kiwis suffering the condition by 2050, says Alzheimers Canterbury.

Yesterday was World Alzheimer's Day and the group held a gathering in Christchurch to educate people about the condition, and the difficulty of caring for those affected.

President Martin Brooks said New Zealand needed more government funding for people with dementia so they could stay at home longer.

There was also a need for research to try and develop drugs to help or cure the disease.

"One in four people over 85 is likely to have some kind of dementia but it is not a normal part of ageing. We are now seeing it hit some younger people," he said.

"New Zealand has the lowest rate of dementia research in any of the major countries. It's way behind where it should be."

One of the main reasons people were not as aware of dementia was the "shame" associated with it.

"Because it's dementia, people feel uneasy about it. It's just the age and the fact you don't really know what is failing. Some people can have challenging behaviour. They might say unacceptable things."

There are currently over 40,000 people with dementia in New Zealand. This is forecast to rise to about 75,000 by 2026, and 150,000 by 2050.

Paul Tunley, of Christchurch, cared for his mother between 1996 and 2001 while she was fighting dementia.

Tunley, a retail manager , described dealing with the condition on a day-to-day basis as "depressing and overwhelming".

"Every single case is different and every single form is different. There needs to be the resources to allow each family to deal with their problem in the best possible way. What is needed is a huge amount more funding for services to keep people in their home and services to provide proper care," he said.

Copyright © Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us