The Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, Russell George, has this week (Tuesday 7th July) attended the launch of a new report by the Alzheimer’s Society to show his commitment to improving care and support for people living with dementia.
Mr George joined Sue Phelps, the Director of the Alzheimer’s Society in Wales at the Senedd to mark the report’s release. The report, entitled "The Hidden Cost of Dementia in Wales" is the first of its kind, and provides a detailed financial breakdown of the cost of dementia on Welsh society.
The report reveals that in 2013 the total cost of dementia in Wales was £1.4 billion, which equates to an average cost of £31,300 per person per year.
Following the report’s launch, Mr George said:
"I was pleased to be able to attend the Alzheimer’s Society event to hear more about the findings of the report and to show my support for people living with dementia in Montgomeryshire. With a growing number of people living with dementia, it's becoming increasingly important that we find a way of working in collaboration to meet the challenge dementia presents.
"I was amazed to learn that over 27,000 people in Wales could be living with undiagnosed dementia and therefore not receiving the care they may require.
"This is a challenge we cannot afford to overlook and I support the Alzheimer’s Society’s calls for a greater commitment to person-centred, integrated care to ensure that those living with dementia receive the most appropriate care for their needs and receive the dignity and respect that every patient should expect.
"I also believe that the Welsh Government needs to be more ambitious in raising their targets to improve diagnostic services for patients at risk of developing dementia."