There are no recent statistics on the number of people who have dementia or Alzheimer’s in Malta but a 2012 study carried out by the University of Malta showed that there were 5,198 in 2010, forecast to rise to 6,071 by 2015 and 9,883 by 2030, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon told Parliament on Wednesday.

Replying to parliamentary questions by MP Mario Galea, he said that there were no local studies on how much care of these people cost the country. However, a study on Malta was carried out in Sweden, and found that in 2010, the country would have been spending between €63.1 million and €96.2 million a year, depending on how much of the care needed was being provided by the State and how much by the family of the patient.

The figures are based on anything from 1.6 hours of informal care a day to 3.7 hours.

“Although the study was carried out almost a decade ago, it is the most recent one that we have,” the minister explained.