Introduction

It is a common misconception that dementia is a condition of older age. While it is true that the majority of cases diagnosed are over the 65 year old age group and that the rates increase significantly with advancing age, people below that age are not uncommonly seen, particularly in Memory Clinics such as my own.

It is also known that there are an estimated 4000 to 5000 cases of early onset dementia in Ireland compared to 55,000 over the 65 year old age group. This however may be an underestimate. In my practice, I see patients with early symptoms particularly those in their late 50s and early 60s. Below that age it becomes very rare.

What is more disturbing is the group between 65 and 70 years of age. It is estimated that 1 in 70 of us in that age group develop dementia related conditions. This figure changes to 1 in 20 in the next decade of life. As people are enjoying better healthcare and a better lifestyle, many people are very active into their mid-80s. In recent times there has been throughout governmental policy an approach of increasing the retirement age into the late 60s or even 70. Therefore this group of people will remain wage earners and will not be eligible for pension until they reach the required age. When illness strikes particularly a dementia syndrome, this will have catastrophic implications for the family concerned.