Dementia in the Media

• Cormac Cahill, Communications Manager:
  • cormac.cahill@alzheimer.ie
  • 086 044 1214
• Lisa Gernon, Communications Officer:
  • lisa.gernon@alzheimer.ie
  • 086 029 5634

• RTE.ie, July 11th: ‘Community Groups Given Access to the Abbey Theatre’ (Jacinta Dixon)
• Irish Examiner, July 8th: ‘Not one county has even a minimum of support for people with dementia’
• RSVP Magazine, June 18th: ‘Former builder Sean Donal O’Shea opens up about his mother’s heartbreaking Alzheimer’s diagnosis’
• Irish Independent, June 14th: ‘Inspirational: Teena hopes to be an example to all carers’ (Carer and Campaigner Teena Gates)
• Irish Independent, June 10th: ‘What kind of country asks someone with Alzheimer’s to be a carer?’ – plea for help (Helen Rochford Brennan)
• Irish Independent, June 5th: ‘New curbs to hit homecare for the elderly, the disabled’
• The Journal, May 28th: ‘A garden in the Bloom Festival is a space where people with dementia can reminisce’ (interview with Kathy Ryan)
• The Irish Examiner, May 3rd: ‘Govt must invest €12m per annum to tackle crisis in dementia care’ (interview with CEO Pat McLoughlin)
• The Irish Independent, April 27th, ‘I’d go down to bed at night and be bawling for hours’. (interview with Sean Donal O’Shea)
• The Irish Independent, April 25th, ‘I get glimmers of my dad, but they’re only glimmers’ (interview with Maire-Anne Doyle)
• The Irish Examiner, April 6th, ‘Wild ways: Dáithí Ó Sé on the simple pleasures of the great outdoors’
• The Irish Independent, March 30th: ‘My dementia journey: “I wasn’t recognising things and I was becoming very forgetful”‘ (Ronan Smith)
• The Irish Times, January 28th 2019: ‘Care access issue ‘contributes to anxiety and loneliness’ in people with dementia’ (Jacinta Dixon)
• The Irish Times, October 30th 2018: ‘Hallucinations, tremors and sleep issues: when dementia doesn’t mean memory loss’ (Kevin Quaid)
• Newstalk.com, October 1st, 2018: ‘World Alzheimer’s Month: Caring for the carer’ (Una Caulfield & Ann Twomey)
• Newstalk.com, September 21st 2018: ‘World Alzheimer’s Month aims to challenge the stigma surrounding dementia’ (Pat McLoughlin & Jean Scanlon)
• The Sunday Independent, September 16th 2018: ‘I have gone to a place I could never have dreamed’ (Helen Rochford Brennan)
• The Irish Times, August 31st 2018: Calls for new, ring-fenced budget to improve dementia services
• Irish Independent, July 23rd 2018: The stigma of Alzheimer’s creates terrible loneliness’ (Jacinta Dixon)
• The Irish Sun, July 19th 2018: Carer who looked after dad during dementia battle hits out at lack of support services (Judy Williams)
• Irish Independent, July 18th 2018: All I really want to do now is think about Dad (Ronan Smith)
• The Irish Sun, July 18th 2018:  Ex-Gaiety producer Ronan Smith lifts lid on Alzheimer’s
• Irish Independent, June 29th 2018: Access to care for dementia must improve, says Owen
• RTE.ie, June 21st 2018: Riverdance Supports Alzheimer’s Society with Dublin Dance-a-thon
• Irish Independent, June 11th 2018: Dementia and the battle with nutrition
• Irish Independent, June 9th 2018: ‘I saw the front door open and the gate open… we eventually found him on the road’ (interview with Ann Twomey)
• Irish Independent, May 4th 2018: Heartstopping moment Riverdance troupe piles into Irish dementia day care centre
• Sunday Independent, April 22nd 2018: ‘I feel lucky to have had a very privileged life’ (Interview with Ronan Smith)
• Irish Examiner, April 17th 2018: ‘Barry links up with ASI for Tea Day’
• The Irish Times, March 20th 2018: “The Irish Times Health Board” (Paro, the therapeutic robotic Seal)
• Irish Independent, February 10th 2018: ‘”We have cried together, we have laughed together” – mother-of-two (57) on telling her children she had dementia’ (Interview with Kathy Ryan)
• Irish Independent, January 30th 2018, ‘We’re doing everything we can to repay Mam after everything she’s done for us’ (Interview with Laura Reid)

• People with Dementia Tell Government: Stop Ignoring the Health Crisis of Our Time and Start Funding Vital Community Supports and Home Care in Budget 2020, 3rd July, 2019
• Teacher from Donegal Taking Part in Solo 145km Three-Day ‘Home to Home’ Walk to Raise Funds and Awareness for People with Dementia – North and South of the Border, 1st July 2019
• Inspirational Munster Dementia Advocates Calling on Public to Support Tipperary-Limerick Legends Clash of the Ash Fundraiser for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, 16th June 2019
• Author, Broadcaster and Carer Teena Gates Hopes to Inspire Other Family Carers to Advocate for Vital Community Supports Following Her Successful Online Campaign, 13th June 2019
• Call For Local Election Candidates to Promote Dementia-Inclusive Communities and Support People Impacted by Dementia Who Are Struggling Across Ireland, 8th May, 2019
• Minister for Health Simon Harris States ‘Really Important We Do Everything We Can’ to Raise Awareness of Dementia at National Tea Party to Celebrate 25 Years of Alzheimer’s Tea Day, 2nd May, 2019
• Daithi O Se Invites the Nation to Tea to Mark 25th Anniversary of Alzheimer’s Tea Day Campaign, March 19th, 2019
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s New Partners Capital Credit Union Making Staff and Members More Dementia Aware – Starting with Brain Awareness Week, March 12th, 2019
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Launches Touching Real Life Stories of People with Dementia and Carers from AlzTalks Event, February 25th, 2019
• Struggling carer of mother with Dementia who rang Joe Duffy Show for Help Stepping Up Campaign to Lobby Government to fund Local Day Care Centre, February 14th, 2019
• Lifestyle, Travel and Fashion Blogger Louise Cooney Reaching Out to Younger Generation to be Dementia Aware and Support Denim Day Fundraiser, January 31st, 2019
• People Living with Dementia in the Community are Lonely Because Society Does Not Facilitate their Inclusion or Understanding Finds New Research, January 28th, 2018
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Hold Emergency Dementia Summit Calling on Government To Hear the Outcry For Dementia-Specific Funding in this HSE National Sevices Plan, November 28th 2018
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Nationwide Flag Day Collection Memory Ribbon Taking Place Across Ireland on November 22nd, November 9th, 2018
• Pioneer of Dementia Advocacy Helen Rochford Brennan Receives Honorary Degree from NUI Galway,
  October 17th 2018
• Tommy Fleming to Perform at Celebratory AlzTalks Event in Sligo with Touching Real Life Stories from People with Dementia and Carers, October 12th 2018
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Frustrated with Lack of Dedicated Dementia Fund in Budget 2019, October 9th 2018
• Government Urged to Allocate €2.31 Million to Roll Out Dementia Adviser Service Nationwide in Budget 2019 Following Release of HSE Evaluation Report, October 1st 2018
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Calling on Government to Increase Dementia Research Funding to Mark World Alzheimer’s Day 2018, September 21st 2018
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Launches New Collectible Cookbook ‘A Taste to Remember’ to Mark World Alzheimer’s Day 2018, September 21st 2018
• Every Three Seconds Someone Develops Dementia – The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Supports World Alzheimer’s Month 2018 Campaign, September 1st 2018
• High Court Order Preventing People with Dementia from Leaving Hospital Indicative of Broken Dementia Healthcare System, August 3rd 2018
• Munster Dementia Carers Advocacy Network to Meet to Discuss Lack of Acceptable Levels of Dementia Support, July 19th 2018
• The ASI welcomes news of Dormant Accounts funding for some dementia services and supports, July 17th 2018
• Former Minister for Justice Nora Owen Issues Rallying Call for Fresh Investment in Community Supports for People Living with Dementia in Budget 2019, June 28th 2018
• KBC’S Hub2Hub Extreme-800km Challenge to help raise awareness and funds for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland During Carers Week 2018, June 11th 2018
• Extra Government Funding Required to Ensure Full Implementation of the National Dementia Strategy Following Mid-Term Review, May 24th 2018
• Riverdance help to put the kettle on to celebrate The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Tea Day 2018, May 3rd 2018
• Inequity of Access to Dementia Services Across Ireland Revealed in Dementia-Specific Community-Based Mapping Project, April 18th 2018
• ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Judge Loraine Barry joins The Alzheimer Society of Ireland as their new Ambassador for Tea Day 2018, April 16th 2018
• Daithi O Se says there are 55,000 good reasons to put the kettle on for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Tea Day on May 3rd, April 3rd 2018
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Launches Regional Group for Dementia Carers’ Advocacy Network in Munster, March 26th 2018
• A First for Irish Dementia Day Care as The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Introduces Paro the Therapeutic Robot to Persons with Dementia. March 8th 2018
• The Orchard Respite Centre for People with Dementia to Reopen Under the Management of Mowlam Healthcare, February 22nd 2018
• Dementia Advisers to Refer Persons with Dementia to Charter Medical’s Rapid Access Clinic Under New Partnership Agreement, February 8th 2018
• Advocate Kathy Ryan and TV3 Presenter Deric Ó hArtagáin Will Lead The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Camino Adventure, February 6th 2018
• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Ambassador Dave Kearney encouraging members of the public to support Denim Day for Dementia Fundraiser, January 31st 2018
• Powerful video launched to educate healthcare professionals about supports needed when a person receives a dementia diagnosis, January 30th 2018

• The number of people with dementia in Ireland is expected to more than double over the next 20 years, from 55,000 today to 113,000 in 2036.
• Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of conditions which cause changes and damage to the brain.
• Dementia is progressive. There is currently no cure. Dementia is not simply a health issue but a social issue that requires a community response.
• The majority of people with dementia (63%) live at home in the community. Over 180,000 people in Ireland are currently or have been carers for a family member or partner with dementia with many more providing support and care in other ways.
• Each year over 4,000 people develop dementia. That’s at least 11 people every day and anyone can get dementia – even people in their 30s/40s/50s.
• 1 in 10 people diagnosed with dementia in Ireland is under 65.
• The overall cost of dementia care in Ireland is just over €1.69 billion per annum; 48% of this is attributable to family care; 43% is accounted for by residential care; formal health and social care services contribute only 9% to the total cost
• Figures referenced to Cahill, S. & Pierce, M. (2013) The Prevalence of Dementia in Ireland

• The Voice, Summer 2019
• The Voice, Spring 2019
• The Voice, Winter 2018
• The Voice, Summer 2018
• The Voice, Spring 2018
• The Voice, Winter 2017
• The Voice, Summer 2017

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• Language is our most powerful means of communicating. Simply using the correct language engenders trust. Never is this more the case than the language we use when talking about medical issues – particularly Alzheimer’s disease/dementia.
• Media stories on Alzheimer disease/dementia contribute significantly to the public’s awareness and knowledge of the condition. Increased community understanding about dementia makes the step to seeking diagnosis or support so much easier for the many people with concerns about memory loss.
• The more that other people understand their experience, the better the quality of life for people living with dementia. Importantly, positive public images have a multiplier effect on tackling the fear and stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s disease/dementia and help make the issue one that people are more encouraged to acknowledge and address.
• By publishing these guidelines, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland is not attempting to police the language others use – it is merely intended as a guide for using language in a more sensitive manner that avoids reducing individuals with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia to a series of labels, symptoms, or medical terms. We hope it will promote consistency across the dementia care sector and be a reference for others to use.
• These guidelines are intended to highlight how words and language really do make a difference. Click here to read more about dementia friendly language.