'Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary' project marks 10 years of service

Above: At the launch of “Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary: 10 Years of Service, Implementation, Sustainability into the Future” at the Memory Technology Library, Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel were, from left,  Derval Howley (Head of Service/Health and Wellbeing, HSE/South East Community Healthcare), Anne Quinn (Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary), Mary Ryan (Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary), Emma O’ Brien (Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary) and Bridget Farrell (General Manager of Older Person’s Services , HSE/South East Community Healthcare)

Supported by the HSE and run in cooperation with Family Carers Ireland, the "Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary” project is marking 10 years of service this week.

Established in 2012, “Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary” provides a broad range of supports and services that are designed to help people live as well and as independently as they can at home in their own community.

An Evaluation Report, focused on this service’s implementation and sustainability into the future, was launched this week at the Memory Technology Library operated at the “Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary” project premises on the grounds of Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel. This month of September is also World Alzheimer’s Month.

Funded by the HSE and Family Carers Ireland and carried out by Dr Maria Pierce and Jeremy Golden of University College Dublin, the Evaluation Report looks at a wide range of practical, personalised, post-diagnostic, psychosocial supports and interventions provided by the project, in addition to contributions to national policy and programme development.

The launch of the report in Clonmel on Monday afternoon featured contributions on the day from the author Dr Maria Pierce (Assistant Professor in Social Policy, UCD), Kate Brennan (Senior Project Manager, HSE’s National Dementia Office), Professor Eamon O’Shea (Centre for Economic and Social Research on Dementia, University of Galway), Anne Quinn (Memory Technology Library South Tipperary/Living Well with Dementia, South Tipperary), a video message from a person living with a dementia diagnosis, an address from the family member of a person living with dementia, from Dr Caitriona Crowe (Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry, St James’s Hospital, Dublin and formerly lead of the “Five steps leading to Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary project 2012-2015") and the Mayor of Clonmel Borough District Cllr Richie Molloy.

The Evaluation Report was launched by Bridget Farrell (General Manager of Older Person’s Services, HSE/South East Community Healthcare), who said: “I am delighted to see that a study has found the Dementia Nurse and Occupational Therapist Specialist, the Dementia Support Workers, the Memory Technology Library, the Post Diagnostic and Education Programmes and Weekly Social Group to be having the positive effect that we have been seeing ourselves. When established, the Memory Technology Library in Clonmel was an innovation and it is a model that has been replicated elsewhere.

“A large number of strengths were identified in the study by people with dementia, family carers, staff, health professionals and other stakeholders participating in interviews and focus groups for this study. The project is seen to be promoting the personhood of people with dementia (a key principle underpinning the Irish National Dementia Strategy).

"A major strength of ‘Living Well with Dementia’ identified was its highly qualified, experienced specialist Nurse and Occupational Therapist and the roles they play in assessment and care planning post-diagnosis, offering specialist information, advice, support and strategies to help people with dementia live independently and engage in daily and meaningful activities, as well as to family carers.

" ‘Living Well with Dementia’ was highly valued for the range of practical, post-diagnostic, psychosocial supports for people with dementia and their family carers and tailoring these to service users’ assessed needs. The ongoing support offered to family carers who find themselves in very challenging circumstances was highlighted.

"The educational work and role 'Living Well with Dementia' staff play in changing the narrative around dementia and reducing stigma was also highlighted. The educational work and role 'Living Well with Dementia' staff play in changing the narrative around dementia and reducing stigma was also illustrated”.

“The HSE is happy to have been associated with the project all along and will continue to be of support”.