Project to help people suffering from dementia

DEMENTIA IS one of the main causes of disability in later life and presents a major challenge to healthcare systems and society, a conference in Dublin heard yesterday.

Healthcare practitioners, academics and people who have been diagnosed with dementia gathered in St James’s Hospital for the launch of “Living with Dementia” a research programme being run by Trinity College Dublin in conjunction with the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre (DSIDC)

The project aims to tackle the marginalisation of people with dementia, enhance service provision and improve the quality of life of those diagnosed with conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

According to Dr Suzanne Cahill, director of Living with Dementia, there are more than 40,000 people in Ireland with dementia.

She said that as treatment for dementia only works in approximately a third of cases, those with the condition rely on social and community care. Former Church of Ireland bishop of Clogher Brian Hannon, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2007, described how he was “depressed, embarrassed and frightened” when diagnosed with the condition. Bishop Hannon, whose son, singer Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy was present, said early diagnosis played a vital role in allowing him to adjust and cope.

The tendency to “medicalise” dementia was a central theme of yesterday’s conference. Dr Emer Begley said there was a need for more psycho-social interventions for people with dementia. She said many people with dementia felt stigmatised and tend to withdraw from social activities.

Launching the programme, Minister of State with responsibility for Older People Áine Brady said the changing demographic of Irish society meant the number of people over 65 would triple in the next 30 years.

The link between ageing and dementia meant the numbers suffering from dementia would increase dramatically, she said.

While the Government’s preferred policy is to allow those with dementia to remain in the home for as long as possible, Ms Brady stressed that the Government has made significant progress with nursing home standards and regulation in recent years.