OM DENNE EPISODE
Participants in this episode:
Aisling Harmon – committee member of the Dementia Carers Campaign Network.
Aisling returned from the UK in 2006 to support her parents. Having been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia in 2002 and Alzheimer’s Disease in 2005, her father Patrick was cared for at home by his wife Carmel, who was herself a leukaemia survivor. Carmel sadly developed Parkinson’s Disease in 2013, and Patrick moved to residential care until his passing in 2017. Carmel wished to be cared for at home where she remained despite receiving a dementia diagnosis in 2019. Aisling retired from practice as an osteopath during the Covid pandemic to care full time for Carmel who sadly passed away in February 2023.
Aisling is a passionate advocate for family carers and has a particular interest in representing the carer voice at research and advocacy events. Aisling has presented at the Alzheimer Europe conference in 2022 and she and her mother Carmel supported The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Tea Day 2022.
Aisling has been a Dementia Carers Campaign Network (DCCN) member for many years and is currently on the committee. She regularly supports media engagements, takes part in political advocacy, participates in focus groups and policy consultations, and supports other ASI activities.
Mike Hanrahan - Songwriter, musician, author, Atlantic Fellow for Equity and Brain Health at Trinity College Dublin.
Mike has been at the forefront of Irish music for four decades, as a writer, singer and musician with Stockton’s Wing, Ronnie Drew, Eleanor Shanley and many more.
His song, A River Rolls On, inspired by his mother’s journey through Vascular Dementia was recorded with The Forget-Me-Nots choir, a dementia/age friendly choir from Dublin.
He is currently studying Brain Health and Equity at the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College, and he is working on a book of short stories on dementia. He is a published author. His memoir, ‘Beautiful Affair, A Journey in Music, Food and Friendship’ was shortlisted for the An Post National Book Awards in 2019.
Kathleen Farrell - member of the Irish Dementia Working Group.
Katheen Farrell is 70 years old. In 2021 Kathleen was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinson’s. Since her diagnoses Kathleen has decided to speak openly about living with Lewy Body Dementia.
Kathleen joined the Irish Dementia Working Group (which is supported by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland) in 2022, and she has decided to become an advocate for other people living with dementia. Kathleen hopes that by sharing her story and experiences, the future for other people being diagnosed with dementia in Ireland may improve.
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Helpline: 1800 341 341
Irish Dementia Working Group
www.alzheimer.ie/creating-change/ways-to-have-your-voice-heard/irish-dementia-working-group-3/
