A new national survey of nursing homes suggests that there is a significant under supply in the provision of specialist care for people suffering from dementia in areas where demand will be significant in the future.
The survey also indicates that private nursing homes provide the bulk of specialist dementia care.
It suggested that the homes do not receive any extra funding from government to help them comply with specific criteria laid down for such care.
The study was carried out by the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre at Trinity College Dublin and St James's Hospital.
The research found some areas like Cavan/Monaghan, Cork, Donegal and Galway are over-supplied with SCUs for dementia patients, while in others like Dublin Carlow Wicklow there is no provision.
But despite an expected increase in the prevalence of dementia in Ireland, no significant expansion in supply is likely in the foreseeable future, the researchers found.
The study suggests significant variation in the level of therapeutic activities on offer to patients in the SCUs.
Specific dementia specific training for staff was more common in private rather than HSE or voluntary SCUs.
It indicated that respite beds were in short supply with just 66 available across the 54 SCUs.
Based on the estimated 30,000 community-dwelling people with dementia in Ireland, this figure suggests one respite bed for every 450 people with dementia, the authors say.
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