The Ministry of Health and Wellness says it is working on determining the prevalence of dementia cases in the Cayman Islands, acknowledging that the statistics currently available are likely an underestimation.
Regional and local campaigners last week called on governments to implement National Dementia Plans to prepare for an expected 155% increase in cases over the next three decades.
A statement from the ministry, in response to queries from the Cayman Compass, said it is working to address the “availability and reliability of data” relating to all non-communicable diseases, including dementia.
“Data is essential in determining the scope of any given issue and the demand for services which is needed in order to set meaningful health policies,” the ministry said. “At present, data on dementia is incomplete as we are only able to readily access data from the Health Services Authority and what has been self-reported in the 2021 Census, both figures likely to be an underestimate of the actual prevalence.
“Our team is working not only to understand but also to address these gaps in a reliable, consistent, sustainable and ethical manner. This work will take time to complete.”
As part of the Census, individuals were asked to confirm any disabilities they had. A total of 193 people responded that they, or a family member, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, while 182 said they suffered from dementia.
According to HSA statistics released by the Ministry of Health in 2021, there were 1,053 people in Cayman diagnosed with dementia, the majority of whom had Alzheimer’s.
In its recent response to the Compass, the ministry said, while it recognises the importance of this issue, and has identified it within the list of key areas of concern, “our current efforts are focused on building foundation”.
National plans
“This foundation will serve as the structure needed to develop relevant and attainable national plans in general. As announced in August 2022, our approach is now data-driven,” the ministry noted.
Dorothy Davis, chair of the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association of the Cayman Islands, has said funding is needed locally to establish a day-care facility to help care for individuals suffering from dementia.
In its statement, the ministry said it had received correspondence from the UK branch of Alzheimer’s Disease International on behalf of the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association of the Cayman Islands, including a letter informing Health Minister Sabrina Turner of the global state of Alzheimer’s and dementia and to ask for general support, and a second letter related specifically to the 2022 Healthcare Conference on non-communicable diseases.
“To date, the Ministry has not received any specific requests from ADACI when it comes to the formulation of a National Dementia Plan, nor have any requests for funding been submitted by ADACI to the Ministry since 2018,” the ministry stated.
It encouraged the charity to apply for funding support and to use the ministry’s communication channels to continue the dialogue on the issue.
It added, “The Ministry of Health and Wellness looks forward to engaging ADACI and other community advocates to work on a comprehensive national plan for dementia when it has completed the present groundwork.”
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