Former actor opens up about dementia diagnosis

Former actor and esteemed director Ronan Smith will discuss his diagnosis of early onset dementia, at the age of 56, at a seminar on the palliative care needs of people with dementia in Mullingar Park Hotel this Tuesday, November 3.

Ronan, a member of the Irish National Dementia Group, is the son of the late Brendan Smith, a distinguished Dublin theatre impresario who also had dementia.

The conference ‘Palliative Care Needs of People with Dementia – Building Capacity’ is hosted by The Irish Hospice Foundation and aims to raise awareness of the role and benefits of the palliative care approach for people with dementia.

Dementia currently affects approximately 47,000 people in Ireland, and is increasingly being recognised as a life limiting disease. Due to the rapidly aging population in Ireland this figure is expected to triple by 2050.

Marie Lynch, Head of Healthcare Programmes in the IHF, said it is vital that people with dementia get the support they need to live well – and this support includes a palliative approach to care.

“Such an approach involves supporting both the person with dementia, and their family to address and relieve any pain, distress and discomfort they encounter as well as giving them opportunities to discuss the care they would like in the future. Research has shown that staff need additional training so they are confident in introducing a palliative approach as part of their routine care – this conference responds to this need.”

One of the key speakers at the event is Dr Michael Cushen, the only Consultant in Palliative Medicine in the midlands region, who will speak about the palliative care needs of people with dementia.

Tina Leonard, Head of Advocacy and Public Affairs, The Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland, will address the stigma surrounding dementia, while Dr Catherine McCabe, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Trinity College will examine ethical and legal decision making with a person with advanced dementia.

Presentations will also be made by Mary Corcoran, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Specialist Palliative Care for Laois/Offaly area; Avril Finnerty, Clinical Nurse Manager at Oakdale Nursing Home in Portlaoise and Maura Byrne, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Dementia Care at St Brigid’s Hospital in Portlaoise.