'Your Eircode shouldn't matter if you have dementia'

Kathleen Farrell, who was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in 2021, is a member of the Irish Dementia Working Group under the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

Kathleen Farrell’s dementia diagnosis was “devastating” but she was saddened to realise the supports she receives are not available everywhere and is calling for "Eircode discrimination" to end.

Ms Farrell, who was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in 2021, is a member of the Irish Dementia Working Group under the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

At the launch of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland's (ASI) pre-budget submission 2024 calling for a €21.3 million investment in vital community supports, care services and social protection were Kathleen Farrell who lives with Lewy Body Dementia and The ASI Chief Executive Andy Heffernan.

“The day I received my diagnosis I thought my life was over,” she said. “To finally retire and then learn I had a progressive incurable disease was devastating.” 

Ms Farrell, 70, said she has learned a lot about the disease since joining the working group. “One of the things that most surprises me is the value of an Eircode,” she said.

Living in Tallaght, Dublin, she has access to homecare, occupational and cognitive therapy among other supports. “I was so surprised to find some of my colleagues have little or no service, and why? Because of where they lived,” she said.

Tony McIntyre is a carer for his wife who has a form of dementia. He said carer training from ASI "changed my life", explaining that before getting help he was admitted to hospital due to stress and strain. 

The ASI’s pre-budget submission, published on Thursday, includes a call for an investment of €2.3m in dementia-specific day services including day care at home and weekend activity clubs.

Kathleen Farrell: “The day I received my diagnosis I thought my life was over.”

Their research shows one in four family carers and one in three people with dementia have “great difficulty” accessing services. 

They currently offer daycare at home to 400 families, and a funding boost of €1.7m would allow them to expand to an additional 400 families.

The ASI, which is a Section 39 organisation funded by the HSE, also want to see pay parity for their 700 staff with HSE workers.

CEO Andy Heffernan said staff in some areas can walk up the road to a HSE organisation and receive 15% or 20% more money which has implications for their ability to retain staff. They called for an investment of €1.59m for this.