Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to most sincerely thank the witnesses for the phenomenal work they are all doing, for coming into the committee today and sharing their experience and expertise with us. This is an absolutely vital issue, and there is no about it, we are living in an ageing society, where issues of dignity, autonomy and care are going to become more relevant as a greater proportion of society will rely on various forms of assistance to their own lives. It is so important that we design policies and support people with dementia, and particularly their carers.

Regarding the area I want to touch on, the witnesses have touched on it a little bit but I want to get a little bit more information around therapeutic care. With regard to somebody who is diagnosed with dementia, I can imagine the anxiety, fear and stress and all that comes along with it. How is that dealt with from a therapeutic side of things? What is the process, and is there enough care in that area from the witnesses' perspectives? Coming to the families in particular, I would imagine there are the same emotions but also grief. I imagine that for the person who has dementia, and their families, there is a certain amount of grief that goes along with it because there is that fear around losing a bit of themselves and what they are going to lose. Then for the family members, it is about losing their loved one, and where they are going to go. There is probably huge anxiety and stress, and then when things start to shift, do family members get angry when they see their loved one?

I can only share my own experience with my mother. She was never diagnosed with dementia but she had a little bit of senility, and there was huge fear in it. I have seen cases. I was in an emergency ward one time where there was a woman who had some form of dementia. Her son was with her and he was really frustrated with her because she kept getting up and walking away. I wonder about the therapeutic care, and how vital and important it is. What is there, and what can be done better? That is what I am trying to look at, for both people with dementia and their carers.