Dementia Care Conference 15th February

Royal Marine Hotel Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. 

Sponsored by Myhomecare.ie 

THE CONFERENCE

The annual conference, which is now running three years, is taking place this Wednesday, February 15th in The Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire. Organised by The Commercial Media Group, the conference will focus on future vision for Dementia care in Ireland and will enable and equip delegates to critically review their approaches to the care of patients with dementia. Representing the myhomecareie.wpengine.com team and attending the conference are Homecare Assessors Jonathan O’Donnell and Susanne Kelly.

Susanne, who has experience nursing dementia patients in the past, said that this is her first time attending the conference and she is looking forward to it. Susanne hopes to improve dementia care and incorporate new guidelines into existing myhomecare plans. On the day, Johnathan and Susanne will be promoting myhomecare by providing information about the brand, distributing materials and products and building relationships with other similar services. They will be speaking to clients and answering the questions of potential clients.

Dementia in Ireland

It is estimated that 42,000 people in Ireland have dementia.

But, what is Dementia? Dementia is not one single disease. It is a collective term used to describe a group of symptoms which cause damage to the brain and impair memory or thinking such as forgetfulness.

 

What can cause Dementia? Dementia can occur after a stroke, brain tumor or head injury. Age is the most significant risk factor in developing dementia and it affects 1 in 70 people in Ireland aged 65-70 and affects a staggering 1 in 5 people over the age of 80. Genetics is another risk factor that can play a part in the role of developing dementia. Although we cannot control our age or our genes, we can control our lifestyle and evidence shows that our lifestyle habits can increase the risk of developing dementia.

How to prevent Dementia – Lifestyle habits – Diet/Nutrition – high fat contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure and bad cholesterol which are all associated with dementia. Smoking – damages the heart, lungs and vascular system. People who are heavy smokers in their mid-life, double their risk of developing dementia. Alcohol – due to its antioxidants, research shows that drinking a moderate amount of red wine might actually reduce the risk of forming dementia. However, drinking alcohol excessively can increase a person’s risk of developing a form of dementia called Korsakoff’s Syndrome. Exercising – lack of physical activity can cause heart problems and can increase the risk of developing vascular dementia.

 

Recognizing The Signs

Not everyone with dementia will experience the same signs and symptoms.

Recent memory loss – repeating themselves.

Difficulty completing familiar tasks – cooking a meal.

Difficulty in communicating – forgetting simple words.

Disorientation – getting lost.

Misplacing things.

Changes in mood.

Changes in personality – acting fearful.

Inability to control emotion.

Loss if initiative – no interest in going out.

 

Fore more information about the Dementia Care Conference visit: http://cmgevents.ie/events/the-national-dementia-care-conference/

For information on myhomecare and dementia plans visit www.myhomecareie.wpengine.com