Annual Report 2010 - St. James's Hospital

Clinical Directorates I MedEL
TUDA Study
TUDA is a large collaborative study involving Mercer’s Institute
for Research on Ageing, Trinity College Departments of
Gerontology, Old Age Psychiatry and Biochemistry. To date
over 1700 patients have participated in the study. The aim
is to create a national genotype/phenotype database with
certain age related disease.
The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing
(TILDA )
The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) is a major
initiative which will provide high quality research relating to
older people and ageing in Ireland. A nationally representative
sample of 8,000 to 10,000 adults aged 50 and over, resident
in Ireland are being selected for the study. Prof. Rose
Anne Kenny is the driving force behind this study from the
beginning. By the end of 2010 7,828 of the 8,000 respondents
had been recruited, Centres are based both in Dublin and
Cork. A TILDA report was published in 2010 detailing its study
objectives as well as study design. This document is available
on the TILDA website (www.tcd.ie/TILDA).
The Dementia Services
Information and Development
Centre (DSIDC)
Introduction
In 2010 the Centre continued to make progress with its fi rst
three-year strategic plan. Now in the second year of the
plan the Centre is operating over and beyond its projected
targets. The year saw a number of important achievements
particularly in the areas of promotion, awareness, education
and research.
Promotion of awareness of dementia
Our Spring Synapse Research Seminar was attended by 108
participants and started with the offi cial launch by Minister
Aine Brady of the Living with Dementia Programme.
The Autumn Conference was attended by 130 participants.
The theme for the conference was design and dementia.
It brought together many expert speakers who provided a
deeper understanding of pertinent issues in relation to the
environment and dementia.
“A Practical Guide to Daily Living for Family Caregivers” a
publication developed by Dr. Suzanne Cahill and Vanessa
Moore was launched at the conference by Mr. Noel Mulvihill,
Assistant National Director for Older Persons Services,
HSE. This booklet provides practical information for
family caregivers of people living at home with a cognitive
impairment or a dementia to help them to better cope with
the day-to-day choices and dilemmas they may confront.
DSIDC staff also participated in national and international
networks including:
• The Ageing Well Network
• The National Dementia Strategy Group
• The DSDC network
• The Social Workers Special Interest group on Ageing
• The National Educational Dementia Group
• The Dementia Strategy Planning Group Laois/Offaly
Education
• The DSIDC Education Service expanded its modules and
during 2010 offered a diversifi ed range of courses. Earlier
in the year a new Education Brochure was produced and
widely disseminated through our e-contacts database and
is also available to download from our website.
• In 2010, 160 separate dementia specifi c education or
information sessions were provided and a total of 1887
individuals attended these sessions throughout the country
during the year. This was achieved despite a shortage of
resources in many institutions, which limited funding for
participants to travel to attend courses.
• During 2010 three new courses were developed and
delivered namely (i) “Communicating with the Person with
a Dementia”, (ii)“Management and Leadership in Dementia
Care” and (iii) “Caring for the Person with Dementia in the
Acute Care Sector”.
Research
During 2010, the Living with Dementia Programme (LiD)
funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies continued to deliver
on its research commitment in the area of the psycho-social
aspects of dementia. A total of 20 scientifi c research papers
were presented by LiD students and staff during 2010 at
national and overseas conferences and seminars.
During the year, two Masters students whose internships
took place at LiD, completed their dissertations on dementiarelated
topics.
The fi eldwork for the CARDI funded (North-South) project
on the topic of end of life care and dementia was completed
during 2010. A report containing guidelines for end of life care
for people with dementia living in nursing homes has been
produced and can be downloaded from our websites.
During 2010, LiD in collaboration with the Centre for Social
Gerontology in Galway was successful in being awarded a
grant through the Atlantic Philanthropies to undertake the
evidence-based research required to identify the key priorities
to be included in the Government’s development of an Irish
National Dementia Strategy.
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