Dementia - too little, too late?

摘要

It is with regret that one has to return to this topic which has featured significantly in this journal over the years. A recent report has raised significant issues relating to this cohort of the population with regard to the provision of care, the cost of that care and also who will provide for or even pay for it. The timescale of this problem has now become all the more acute and not for the want of groups working with these individuals and their carers having raised these problems many times over the last few years. Just because it is a difficult and time consuming health issue does not mean that it should be put to one side in the hope that a simple solution will appear. Even if a means of prevention were discovered tomorrow or that the symptoms could be significantly alleviated, a large number of older people with the disorder would still remain.It is with regret that one has to return to this topic which has featured significantly in this journal over the years. A recent report has raised significant issues relating to this cohort of the population with regard to the provision of care, the cost of that care and also who will provide for or even pay for it. The timescale of this problem has now become all the more acute and not for the want of groups working with these individuals and their carers having raised these problems many times over the last few years. Just because it is a difficult and time consuming health issue does not mean that it should be put to one side in the hope that a simple solution will appear. Even if a means of prevention were discovered tomorrow or that the symptoms could be significantly alleviated, a large number of older people with the disorder would still remain.