What is De-Stress?
De-Stress is the largest study of its kind in Ireland to explore the health and wellbeing of family carers of people with dementia. To carry out the study, researchers at Trinity College Dublin surveyed more than 200 people who were caring for their spouse with dementia.

What did we find?

Nearly half of the carers in the study spent all of their waking time looking after their spouse, and 15% had given up their jobs in order to care for their spouse.

Most of the carers took prescribed medicines. Those who had more chronic health conditions (such as arthritis, hypertension or diabetes) were more likely to have high burden and lower quality of life.

Depression and anxiety were common among family carers, and around a third of participants had difficulty with at least one core caring activity, such as managing money, shopping for or preparing food or managing appointments.

Carers experience a decline in cognitive functions (such as attention and ability to plan) over a one-year period, but this was not linked to their stress levels or a genetic susceptibility to developing Alzheimer Disease. 

This report, commissioned under The Alzheimer Society of Ireland's expert policy series, provides much needed information on the feasibility of developing a dementia registry within the Irish context. The authors proactively engaged with leading experts both in the field of dementia and in patient’s registries more generally. They also, very importantly, met and engaged with people living with dementia; those whose information would be collected, stored and used in any future registry. These expert opinions, combined with a review of national patient registries and a review of international dementia registries, identifies good practice as well as potential pitfalls in establishing and running such a registry. You can download a copy of the report here. An accessible summary document is available here.

This report outlines the results of a collaborative research project undertaken by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW), Age Action and the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University College Dublin. The research gathered information on the experiences and views of social workers working across the country with older people, including people living with dementia. The purpose of the study was to investigate the health and social care system is responding to the care needs, required supports and preferences of older people. You can download a copy of the report here.

A cognitive rehabilitation manual for healthcare professionals working with individuals with cognitive impairment and dementia. This was the output of a joint research initiative between the ASI and the Neuro-Enhancement for Independent Lives Programme in TCD.

Executive Summary

Dominic Trepel, Department of Economics, University of Limerick, 2010

Maximising Benefits and Maintaining Cost Efficiency

Dominic Trepel, Department of Economics, University of Limerick, 2010

The Social Club Model of Dementia Care

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, September 2008

The Social Club Model  of Dementia Care: A Research Report

Catherine Keogh and Grainne McGettrick, January 2008

Commission by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, (2005). Trutz Haase.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin.
Commission by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, (2006).