Solidarity with the patients

In keeping with its name, Freedom Square has been the venue of numerous events that have all carried a strong social and cultural significance. This morning, this large open air space will once again be hosting a very special event, namely a Memory Walk organised by the Malta Dementia Society to celebrate World Alzheimer's Day.

This year's celebrations are intended not only to commemorate the hundredth year since this disease was first described by the German neurologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906, but, more importantly, to deliver the message that in the face of the rising global incidence of Alzheimer's and the failure so far to find a cure, there simply is no time to lose before the issue is placed at the very top of our national agenda.

The number of Alzheimer's sufferers worldwide is estimated to stand at about 18 million and is projected to nearly double by 2025 to 34 million. Of the approximately 3,600 people suffering from dementia here in Malta, many of them are afflicted by Alzheimer's. In line with international trends, this number is expected to double over the next 20 years.

Alzheimer's disease not only seriously disables a person both cognitively and socially, it also leads to a condition of such extreme dependency as to bring severe distress upon the relatives who look after the Alzheimer's sufferer. Apart from this hefty human and social cost of Alzheimer's disease, one cannot ignore the startling fact that the direct costs of caring for Alzheimer's sufferers exceed those associated with heart disease, cancer and stroke combined.

As Parliamentary Secretary for the Care of the Elderly, I am all too aware of the seriousness of Alzheimer's disease, since this is a degenerative condition that strikes predominantly in old age. In fact, the threat of Alzheimer's growing prevalence is simply an inevitable by-product of the increasing numbers of old people in our society. I believe that it is our duty to support both the Alzheimer's sufferers and their carers. On Monday, the Prime Minister will be inaugurating a newly built ward within St Vincent de Paul that will enable us to accommodate a substantially higher number of residents than was previously possible. This new ward is the second phase of a project through which we are gradually upgrading SVPR. The opening of this ward is also giving us the opportunity to be able to refurbish another block that is now vacated.

Of course, I am aware that expanding institutional nursing care on its own will not cater for the increasing number of Alzheimer's sufferers that are expected in the coming years. In addition to this, we also need to further develop our community care resources so that the stay of old people with slight to moderate degrees of dependency in the community can be extended. This is the policy that my government has pledged to pursue in the next years.

With this in mind an activity centre at SVPR, which will also cater for people suffering from dementia, will soon be up and running. This centre will cater both for people already within the residential facility as well as for those who still live in the community. It will serve as a day respite so that carers can attend to their needs and at the same time rest assured that their loved ones are being well taken care of.

In a democratic society like ours, civil society and government must work hand in hand to tackle complex problems like Alzheimer's disease. I therefore urge everybody to show their solidarity with Alzheimer's patients and their carers by joining the Malta Dementia Society for this Memory Walk starting at Freedom Square at 10 a.m.

Ms D'Amato is Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care.