More dementia workers to be hired by Jersey Health Department

Sixteen additional mental health professionals will be hired to cope with Jersey's growing number of dementia patients.

The move will double the size of the community mental health team through increased funding, rising to £1.8m by the end of 2016.

Jersey's elderly population is expected to double in 30 years.

About 1,200 people have dementia in Jersey and that figure is also expected to double over the next 30 years.

A BBC Radio Jersey report this week found that individual nurses care for up to 50 families affected by dementia.

Ian Dyer, head of older adult services, said: "It is too many and that's one of the reasons we need to look at investment in this area to make sure we can support people to live at home, which is where most people with memory problems and cognitive concerns want to live."