More than 75 per cent of elderly people in care homes have health problems, with almost two out of five suffering from dementia, according to health figures.

The Federal Statistics Office found that 67 per cent had great difficulty in performing daily tasks such as eating and getting dressed.

The results are part of a survey on the state of health and living conditions of old people living in institutions which was published on Monday.

It found that 77 per cent had a health problem of more than six months’ duration, with 39 per cent suffering from dementia and 26 per cent from depression. Other health issues included heart and blood pressure problems, diabetes and rheumatism.

The average age of those surveyed was 83 years old.

The report also found that care home residents had fairly regular calls or visits from friends and family. Some 55 per cent were visited at least once a week, with 12 per cent having daily visits. Only two per cent had no contact with the outside world at all.

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