HC Deb 28 May 2004 vol 422 c151W
Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care homes for the elderly are registered as catering for people with dementia; and if he will make a statement. [175922]

Dr. Ladyman

There are currently 3,687 care homes for elderly people registered as catering for people with dementia.

Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 65 years and over who have dementia; and if he will make a statement. [175923]

Dr. Ladyman

There is no routine collection of information on the number of people living with dementia. The research quoted by the older people's national service framework in 2001 estimated that approximately 600,000 people in the United Kingdom have dementia, of whom about 583,000 are aged 65 years and above. The prevalence and incidence of dementia increases with age. It is estimated that about five per cent, of people over 65 have dementia, rising to about 20 per cent. in the population over 80. Alzheimer's disease causes up to 60 per cent. of cases of dementia.

Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 65 years or over who have learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement. [175925]

Dr. Ladyman

The White Paper, "Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century" (March 2001), estimated that there were around 25,000 older people, out of a total of around 210,000 people, with severe and profound learning disabilities. In the case of people with mild/moderate learning disabilities, the White Paper stated that estimates suggest a prevalence rate of around 25 per 100,000 population (all ages)—some 1.2 million people in England.