Most ordinary people do not understand the difference between the usual age-related mental slow-down and Dementia. Subsequently such affected individuals are not taken to their family doctors for an 'initial' assessment and a 'diagnosis'. The sad thing here is that the majority of average General Practitioners are not skilled enough to assess dementia patients and to make a correct diagnosis. This situation is getting better but even then , only 4 out of 10 cases get diagnosed in primary care.

Currently this ailment affects nearly 750000 people in this country , likely to reach 1 million by 2021 ; It costs the country 20 billion annually and is a major cause of disability.

Lets look at the scenario differently. if 60% of cancer or heart disease cases had remained undiagnosed , would the society have accepted it ! So why this is happening with Dementia ? I would suggest this as a 'reflection' of our general attitude to old age. Old people are not important or valued ; therefore ailments affecting mostly older people are not considered important either. No one will complain ! The relatives, the carers , the patient herself or the Society in general. The situation , therefore, continues ! What the society must appreciate that if diagnosed early and handled properly , the overall cost will be much lower; dependency can be thwarted or delayed with huge amounts of saving to the tax-payer. An all-party Parliamentary Committee along with the Alzheimers Disease Society are currently looking into the issue of Dementia. How to improve the rate of early diagnosis and how to delay further deterioration with measures of proven value and at times with new medicaton. Neither the medical nor the Nursing profession has been waking up to this challenge ; training is poor and at best rudimentary. The subject is not ''sexy'' enough for young nurses and doctors to learn and practise. 20% of family doctors are not even aware of the newer treatment methods.

It is a great challenge for all - just not the professionals but for the Government , statutory bodies and indeed the Society as a whole