New book gives ‘Perspectives on the Person with Dementia and Family Caregiving in Ireland’
Posted on: 01 June 2021
A new book ‘ Perspectives on the Person with Dementia and Family Caregiving in Ireland’, written by Trinity’s Professor Suzanne Cahill, provides a fresh and useful framework in which to set our understanding of dementia, tracing the individual’s journey through the illness from diagnosis and its disclosure (where a first person account is provided in one of the chapters) to accessing home care services to moving from home into long term residential care.
The book is an introductory Irish guide that brings together local and international research to help dispel some of the myths and stigma surrounding dementia. It challenges the biomedical model by making the case for the importance of analysing dementia from several different perspectives, including public health, human rights, and disability.
Many topics and questions are explored in the book, including:
- What is the difference between dementia and normal age-related memory loss?
- Is there anything that can be done to help us avoid getting dementia as we age?
- What interventions both medical and non-medical are currently available in Ireland to treat a person with dementia?
- What is the meaning of autonomy and supported decision-making in the context of dementia?
- How can dignity-enhancing-care be delivered to the individual experiencing symptoms of dementia?
- Has the Irish National Dementia Strategy made a difference to the lives of those affected by this condition?
- Why within families do certain adult children become the main carers?
Author Suzanne Cahill (pictured above) is an Adjunct Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin and an honorary Professor in dementia care at the CESRD in NUI Galway. Professor Cahill was the lead author on the research review which has underpinned Ireland’s first National Dementia Strategy.
The book provides the reader with a wealth of information including research evidence, comparative international data, best practice guidelines and a first person account of an individual’s own unique experience of young onset dementia. It shows us what good dementia can look like, provides a cautionary note about rising prevalence rates of dementia and makes a case for the importance of strong public and private investment in dementia care services.
It is a timely and unique publication as it brings together in one volume the wealth of knowledge about dementia that has been gathering in Ireland, over several decades, which is discussed against the backdrop of international research. The direct experience of stakeholders is reflected in the book and its content is rooted in a rights-based social model of care.
What the academic community is saying about Perspectives on the Person with Dementia and Family Caregiving in Ireland:
Professor Eamon O’Shea (Director of the Centre for Economic and Social Research on Dementia (CESRD) and Professor in the School of Business and Economics at the National University of Ireland, Galway) says, “ This book is a timely reminder of the importance of good quality care for people with dementia and their family carers. It draws on the direct experience of a variety of stakeholders and is rooted in a rights-based, social model of care for people with dementia. It is an important book for practitioners and policy-makers and will inform a more holistic, integrated, equitable and person-centred model of care for people with dementia in the years to come.”
Professor Murna Downs, (Professor in Dementia Studies, Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, University of Bradford) says, “I heartily welcome this first authoritative and comprehensive account of how to support people to live well with dementia in Ireland. While it is a timely recognition of the transformational changes that have occurred in Ireland over the last fifteen years, it is not complacent but rather a call for action to ensure we all play our part in upholding the rights of people living with dementia and their families”.
Dr Attracta Lafferty (Research Fellow School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems UCD) says: “This book addresses an overlooked gap in the evidence base regarding dementia care in Ireland. Professor Cahill centres her work on personhood, dignity and humanity and this is exemplified in a chapter that shares a first-hand and unique account of a person diagnosed with young-onset dementia. I highly recommend the book as a valuable resource for academics, researchers, students, policy makers, health and social care professionals and other key stakeholders in dementia care.”
Perspectives on the Person with Dementia and Family Caregiving in Ireland by Suzanne Cahill is available at: www.peterlang.com