The amount of people suffering from dementia is expected to increase from the current level of 6,071 to 13,000 sufferers by 2050.

The Parliamentary Secretary for ageing Justyne Caruana said the worrying statistics cannot be ignored, and Malta has launched a national strategy to tackle the problem.

The strategy will be deployed over nine years and involves infrastructural improvements and improvements in human resources.

Implementation is already under way, with the launch of an information campaign and booklets containing general information and guidelines for carers.

Dr Caruana said that few people in Malta are trained on how to deal with dementia sufferers, and the government will be offering a number of training courses.

The strategy will see the formation of dementia intervention teams, which will involve professionals going into the community and helping sufferers as well as carers.

One of the ultimate aims is to develop dementia-friendly communities which foster inclusion and understanding.

 

Asked about tagging dementia patients, Dr Caruana said the issue must be tackled ethically and meetings will be held on the issue.