Mayo one of 11 counties unable to provide dementia daycare
Mayo is one of 11 counties unable to offer dementia daycare services unless extra funding is provided in the upcoming budget, according to the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland (ASI).
Together with a number of recommendations, the ASI are calling for an investment of €15m in Budget 2022 in their submission address the counties that are experiencing difficulties in day care.
The ASI CEO Pat McLoughlin said that there are centres in nine counties that are no longer suitable due to adaptations required under Covid-19 restrictions and two counties that have no day care service and capital funding of €15m is required to address this.
The ASI made the call today at the launch of its Pre-Budget Submission 2022, which also highlighted further challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has placed on dementia services following years of under investment.
“The need for funding to address capacity challenges in dementia day services is urgent and very serious. Further to the centres that cannot reopen, the capacity of the reopened centres is reduced by one third due to new Covid-19 compliant guidelines. A further increase of €3m in funding is required to address this.”
The ASI provides 82% of all dementia-specific day care services across the country. Prior to the pandemic it ran 47 Day Centres servicing approximately 1,100 people, with a waiting list of 400. The budget submission sets out an overall requirement of €29m for dementia services.
The 11 counties which are unable to open or have no day care service are: Co. Cavan; Co. Galway; Co. Cork; Co. Kildare; Dublin North / South; Co. Roscommon; Co. Meath; Co. Mayo; Co. Westmeath; Co. Leitrim; and Co. Wexford.
The impact of not having access to Day Centres is stark on people who live with dementia. Family carer Denise Monahan, who is a carer for her dad, Seamus, who has Alzheimer’s, highlighted the lived reality of these difficulties.
“The last 18 months have proved very challenging for my Dad and for us as a family. During this whole pandemic period, my Dad’s world has completely shrunk. He used to be the life and soul of his Day Centre which he loved so much and now he just wants to stay in the house all the time.
“The closure of the centre was a huge loss. My biggest worry has been realised as his deterioration has been so sharp that even if the centre was able to reopen its doors, he wouldn’t be able to go. He has lost his ability to converse and to reminisce because he has been without his connection with people.
“We as a family played by the rules in terms of cocooning and shielding him, but now we’ve paid the price. The Day Centre was our security blanket – without it, we were always going to be in freefall and now he’ll never go back. It just shows how much these centres mean to people – they really are the centre of our worlds and I wouldn’t like to see any other family go through this.
“The Government must listen, once more, to family carers and people with dementia and I would urge investment in day care services, so that more centres can reopen as soon as possible.”
Mr. McLoughlin called on the Government to fully recognise this crisis and allocate funding in next month’s budget.
“Since coming into Office, Minister Mary Butler has shown an understanding of the challenges faced and has engaged with these issues. However, there has been no capital investment in dementia day care by successive Governments. Covid-19 has not so much created this crisis, but exposed years of under investment that must now be addressed. There is no county in the country that meets the minimum recommended standards for dementia supports.”
The ASI’s Pre-Budget Submission 2022 can be downloaded at www.alzheimer.ie