A Wednesday news Ireland Blog by Donie

A new research report tells us that Dementia is the next worlds 

‘global time bomb’

  

According to a report today’s researchers say dementia could be the next big thing to affect society, dementia should be given a top priority health risk as they say it has become the next global ‘time bomb’. But what exactly is dementia? Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behaviour.

Most types of dementia are not reversible (degenerative). Nonreversible means the changes in the brain that are causing the dementia cannot be stopped or turned back. Alzheimer’s disease is probably the most common type of dementia.

So what do these scientists have to say about the disease? According to Professor Peter Piot, the former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, dementia can be compared to the AIDs epidemic of the 80s/90s and he said one person is diagnosed with the illness every seven seconds,

Currently 36 million people worldwide suffer from the disease with that number expected to double by 2020.

“The figures speak for themselves. We are really going into the next global health time bomb”, said Prof. Piot.

“It’s affecting, families, communities and of course the people themselves.”

Nun facing 87 sex abuse charges

After a Preliminary circuit court hearing in Sligo

          

A nun who is to face 87 sex-abuse charges was told at a preliminary sitting at Sligo Circuit Court yesterday that a special two-week hearing would have to be set aside for her trial. A number of people who claim they were victims of the nun were in court for yesterday’s brief hearing.

After complaints from Geraldine Biggs, defending, about provision of documents, Dara Foynes, prosecuting, said the “voluminous” files had been given to the Sligo State Solicitor Hugh Sheridan last week after the case was transferred from another county.

Judge Rory McCabe ordered the Director of Public Prosecutions to acknowledge correspondence received from the defence. He adjourned the case until May when a special sitting date will be arranged.