Minister Urges Stakeholders to Raise Awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia in the Virgin Islands

Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley, is urging all stakeholders in the Virgin Islands to continue raising awareness for individuals in the community who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. This call to action comes during his message for World Alzheimer’s Month, observed annually in September, with this year’s theme being “Never too early, never too late.”

The focus of this year’s campaign is to emphasize the crucial role of identifying risk factors and implementing proactive measures to reduce these risks, thereby delaying or potentially preventing the onset of dementia.

Honourable Wheatley highlighted the paradigm shift occurring worldwide in the perception of Alzheimer’s disease, as doctors and patients are now recognizing that the disease and other forms of dementia can begin many years before symptoms become apparent.

With the global number of people living with dementia projected to triple by 2050, the minister stressed the urgent need for understanding and addressing the risk factors associated with the condition.

According to data from the National Health Insurance database, 188 individuals in the Virgin Islands have received an official diagnosis of dementia. However, considering that approximately 75% of all dementia cases go undiagnosed, as reported by Alzheimer’s Disease International, Honourable Wheatley estimated that the actual number of individuals living with dementia in the territory is likely above 300.

Given the absence of a known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, the minister emphasized the importance of examining personal risk factors and implementing strategies to mitigate the risk of developing the condition.

Citing recent research from The Lancet Commission, a medical journal, Honourable Wheatley explained that modifying twelve key risk factors throughout one’s lifetime could prevent or delay up to forty percent of dementia cases. However, addressing this disease and educating the community requires advocacy, partnership, and collaboration among public, private, and non-governmental agencies.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development, through its Aged Care Services, continues to provide programs and services accessible to individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. These include supervised senior programs that encourage socialization among senior citizens and home care services for elderly persons, where the Social Development Department offers top-quality care in the client’s residence. These programs complement the care and services provided by local hospitals, community-based clinics, and other healthcare facilities.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development remains committed to enhancing the health and well-being of the people of the Virgin Islands.