Just over 100 people with dementia currently receive a home care package costing just under €1,000 a week under an initiative from the HSE and private foundation Atlantic Philanthropies.
Since the project came into operation in January 2015 , a total of 217 people with dementia have benefited from the intensive home care package, according to Minister of State for Health Jim Daly.
Currently 122 people with dementia receive the package, with an average weekly cost of €953, which allows them to stay in their own home with 24-hour support. A further 16 people have been approved for the package and 12 applications are currently being assessed.
Mr Daly said up to 500 people with dementia and their families are expected to benefit from the intensive packages over the lifetime of the three-year programme.
An estimated 55,000 people in Ireland have dementia.
The Minister told Independents4Change TD Mick Wallace that €22.1 million will be spent by the HSE and Atlantic Philanthropies on the initiative.
The health service is investing €15.5 million in the programme and Atlantic Philanthropies €12 million.
In addition GPs receive dementia specific resources, valued at €1.2 million, including training materials and guidance on local services and contact points.
A further €2.7 million is being spent on measures to “raise public awareness, address stigma and promote the inclusion and involvement in society of those with dementia”.
The initiative is part of the National Dementia Strategy launched in 2014.
Mr Wallace in a written parliamentary question asked if the Minister was considering submissions received from organisations dealing with dementia, about provisions in the forthcoming budget for community supports to allow people with dementia live at home and remain active in their communities
Mr Daly told him that the HSE and the department were working on the mid-term review of the implementation of the dementia strategy, which will be published in the autumn.
The Minister said the resources for the strategy “can only be considered in the context of the estimates and budget process”, but submissions on dementia would be considered as part of that process.
