For the past 20 years, no new licensed drugs have been available for Alzheimer’s disease. Soon, disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) will be available in Ireland to slow its progression. However, these expensive drugs require significant changes in our healthcare system. An implementation plan, or care pathway, is needed to guide clinicians, patients, and policymakers. This plan should involve various stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective integration of these treatments.

Hip fracture is a serious event in the lives of older people, with about two in ten individuals dying in the first year after their injury and many more losing their independence. Three in ten older people who break their hip are living with dementia, have memory and concentration problems, or confused thinking. Currently in Ireland, we know little about how people who have memory and concentration problems or confused thinking recover after hip fracture.

The HOMEDEM(Co-designing a home with dementia) Doctoral Training Network carries out research at several levels: a) the micro level, how dementia affects relationships between PwD and their care constellations; b) the meso level, understanding the changing needs of the home living environment; and c) at the macro level, understanding how care constellations navigate the complex care ecosystem of community-based support and services. HOMEDEM is a network of 8 PhD researchers across europe researching different aspects of dementia care in Europe.

This project’s research question is: Are mobility assessments acquired in non-clinical environments markers for clinically acquired cognitive or motor measures? This project will examine correlations between mobility measures acquired in the clinic and at home and measures of cognition. 

The rapidly growing number of people with dementia has created an urgent need for developing socially sustainable care. Sustainability entails the availability of sufficient health and social care services, safety, opportunities for social participation and agency regarding one’s personal life and care services (Littig & Giessler 2005). These principles must apply to persons living with dementia and, at the same time, to the vast number of their informal carers, who play a significant role in providing care.

Background: Cognitive communication difficulties are a characteristic feature of dementia. These deficits have negative effects on all aspects of daily life. Yet, there are few options for standardized assessment of cognitive communication skills in people with dementia.

Aims: To review published cognitive-communication assessments to determine what psychometrically sound assessments exist that are applicable to all people with dementia.

Brief description: Conversation abilities of people with dementia are impacted by cognitive communication deficits. Communication interventions can improve quality of life by increasing positive interactions and well-being. This study evaluates the feasibility of a conversation coaching intervention (CCI) for people with dementia and their communication partners.

Individuals with dementia have communication limitations resulting from cognitive impairments that define the syndrome. Whereas there are numerous cognitive assessments for individuals with dementia, there are far fewer communication assessments. The Profiling Communication Ability in Dementia (P-CAD) was developed to address this gap. The purpose of the study was to answer the following research questions: 1) What is the validity and reliability of the P-CAD? 2) Is it sensitive to change over time in the cognitive communication ability of the person with dementia?

Story telling is a way to define, make meaning and construct the self and we are three story tellers who believe that this is as important for people with dementia as it is for any of us.  Despite this we know that social isolation is both a risk factor and a symptom of worsening dementia.  We wanted to explore if people with dementia would enjoy a story telling group and to record those stories in a beautiful way that they could keep for the uncertainties in the future.  We asked people to bring an object that has been in their poss

This study focuses on finding better ways to assess and manage Parkinson's disease. The study aims to validate two machine learning algorithms, developed respectively by PragmaClin Research Inc., and researchers at the Tyndall Institute in collaboration with the Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation at University College Cork (UCC). These algorithms are both designed to analyse data collected from video recordings and wearable devices to provide a rating of PD symptom severity.