THE Alzheimer's Society is calling on the Welsh Government to improve care for dementia sufferers in Wales.

The call follows publication of its report earlier this month which reveals that only one in five people with dementia in Wales (19 per cent) feel they get enough government support.

The report, Dementia 2014: Opportunity for Change, provides a snapshot of how well people with dementia are living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Key findings include:

•Just over half of people with dementia in Wales (55 per cent) reported to be living well

•Seven out of 10 people were living with another medical condition or disability as well as dementia

•Over half (55 per cent) said they had felt anxious or depressed recently

Another report Dementia UK: Second Edition published last week provides the most comprehensive review of dementia in the UK to date. It reveals that there will be more than 850,000 people living with the condition in the UK by 2015, with more than 45,000 living in Wales.

The findings also reveal that dementia costs the UK £26 billion a year.

Despite these huge costs – two-thirds of which is shouldered by people with dementia, their carers and families – tens of thousands of people with dementia are still living without the right support to do everyday tasks like getting dressed, eating and going to the toilet.

In Wales, 54 per cent of people with dementia looked after by a carer said their carer does not receive help with their caring role (Figures from Dementia 2014: Opportunity for Change).

Alzheimer’s Society is urging Welsh Government to implement a new national strategy on dementia, appropriately resourced and with clear lines of accountability. The strategy is essential in order to prioritise improving diagnosis rates in Wales, which lag behind the rest of the UK and to improve the lives of those living with the condition.

Sue Phelps, director of Alzheimer’s Society in Wales said: "This new research exposes the staggering financial and human impact of dementia. Welsh Government has started to wake up to the challenge dementia presents and the National Dementia Vision for Wales was a step in the right direction, but today’s report reveals we need radical solutions if the ambitions laid out in the Vision are to be achieved.

"Not enough has changed for people with dementia and their carers in Wales. People are still reporting that they are not living well. Everyone with dementia should have access to the certainty of a diagnosis and the right support to come to terms with and manage the condition. Bolder action is now required. That is why we are calling on Welsh Government to implement a new dementia strategy that is adequately resourced, monitored and evaluated.

"225,000 people develop dementia in the UK every year - that is one every three minutes. We must do more to ensure that everyone living with dementia gets the care and support they need."

Both reports are available on the Alzheimer’s Society website. Visit alzheimers.org.uk/dementia2014