Dementia

Dementia is primarily a disease of the very elderly. Nearly 1% of 65 year olds suffer from dementia. This figure rises to around 40% in people aged 90 and over. The number of very old people in the Netherlands is set to increase substantially over the coming decades. If the prevalence figures do not change and curative treatments fail to emerge, the number of dementia sufferers, which currently stands at around 175,000, will have risen to approximately 207,000 by 2010. By 2050 there are expected to be 412,000 dementia patients in this country. In 2000 it was estimated that 1 in every 93 people in the Netherlands had dementia; in 2010 the prevalence will stand at 1 in 81 and in 2050 it will be 1 in 44. The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport has requested advice from the Health Council on the current level of knowledge with regard to dementia. This advisory report, prepared by a Health Council committee, is the Council's response to that request (Annexes A and B). It focuses on the incurable forms of dementia in people aged 65 and over.

Committee

• Prof. ID de Beaufort, Professor of Medical Ethics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, chair
• Dr RLP Berghmans, ethicist; University of Maastricht
• Dr Mayke MMA Derix, clinical psychologist/neuropsychologist; Ziekenhuis Groep Twente, Twenteborg Hospital, Almelo
• Dr RM Dröes, Psychogeriatric research worker; VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam
• Prof. CM van Duijn, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology, Erasmus University Rotterdam
• AW Geerdink, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague, advisor (until 1 September 2001)
• Prof. JKM Gevers, Professor of Health Law, University Medical Centre (AMC), Amsterdam
• Prof. WA van Gool, Professor of Neurology, with specific reference to the dementias; University Medical Centre (AMC), Amsterdam
• Prof. TJ Heeren, Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry; University Medical Centre, Utrecht, Altrecht mental health institution, Zeist
• M Hof, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague, advisor (from 1 September 2001)
• AA Keizer, nursing home physician; Vreugdehof Nursing home, Amsterdam
• Prof. CPM Knipscheer, Professor of Social Gerontology; Free University, Amsterdam
• Dr Y Kuin, psychologist/psychogerontologist; Nijmegen University
• J de Lange, psychologist/nurse; Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Utrecht
• Prof. DF Swaab, Professor of Neurobiology; University of Amsterdam, Director of the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Amsterdam
• Dr AW Wind, GP; Hoorn
• Dr Yvonne A van Duivenboden, Health Council, The Hague, secretary