The Alzheimer Society of Ireland has said the rise of Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia is a disaster waiting to happen unless the Government invests in dementia care.
At its conference in Sligo, the Society called on the Government to invest €105 million over the next three years in areas like community care and research.
Almost 40,000 Irish people have Alzheimers or other forms of dementia.
The society believes this figure will double in 20-years and treble in 30-years leading to a major crisis for the health service unless we prepare now.
Dementia is also rising across the EU and Annette Dumas of Alzheimers Europe said that it was a time-bomb unless governments acted now.
She said there currently is great diversity in access to early diagnosis and treatment in the EU member states and Alzheimer Europe is calling on the EU to make it an EU health priority.
