The Many Faces of Alzheimer’s – Details, episodes & analysis

In this podcast, we catch up with CONSULTANT DR AOIFE FALLON and DR NAOMI DAVEY after their Wednesday clinic.

CONTRIBUTORS | Fionnuala Sweeney (Presenter), Dr Aoife Fallon (Consultant) & Dr Naomi Davey.

MUSIC | composed and performed by Jon Henderson (guitar).

PRODUCTION | ChromeRadio (www.chromemedia.co.uk) for the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION, TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, DUBLIN | Producer - Catriona Oliphant | Post-production - Catriona Oliphant & Chris Sharp

FURTHER INFORMATION | TUH Institute of Memory & Cognition

#themanyfacesofalzheimer's #TUHdementiaawareness

Not all memory issues lead to a diagnosis of dementia. That’s why it’s important to get any symptoms that are worrying you checked out. In this podcast, we rejoin PROFESSOR SEÁN KENNELLY in clinic where he is talking the patient we met in an earlier episode through her diagnosis – and he has good news!

CONTRIBUTORS | Fionnuala Sweeney (Presenter), Professor Seán Kennelly, patient.

MUSIC | composed and performed by Jon Henderson (guitar).

PRODUCTION | ChromeRadio (www.chromemedia.co.uk) for the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION, TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, DUBLIN | Producer - Catriona Oliphant | Post-production - Catriona Oliphant & Chris Sharp

FURTHER INFORMATION | TUH Institute of Memory & Cognition

#themanyfacesofalzheimer's #TUHdementiaawareness

The number of people being diagnosed with some form of dementia is increasing each year, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for around 70% of cases.  By 2050, it’s estimated that 153 million people will be living with the disease. Diagnosis is complex as two people with the same disease, for example Alzheimer’s, can present with differing symptoms. 

In the MEMORY SERVICE at TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, a multidisciplinary team works closely together to provide accurate and timely diagnosis, and then to support people after diagnosis to maintain the best quality of life possible.  In this series, we will hear from clinicians and patients about what to expect if you are referred to the Memory Service, the process of assessment and diagnosis, and the supports available after diagnosis.   

In this FIRST EPISODE, we hear from PROFESSOR SEÁN KENNELLY about how the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION came into being, his team’s novel and inclusive approach to assessing and supporting people with dementia, and their families, and why there are reasons to be optimistic, even if you are diagnosed with a form of dementia.

CONTRIBUTORS | Fionnuala Sweeney (Presenter) & Professor Seán Kennelly (Institute of Memory & Cognition, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin).

MUSIC | composed and performed by Jon Henderson (guitar).

PRODUCTION | ChromeRadio (www.chromemedia.co.uk) for the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION, TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, DUBLIN | Producer - Catriona Oliphant | Post-production - Catriona Oliphant & Chris Sharp

FURTHER INFORMATION | TUH Institute of Memory & Cognition

#themanyfacesofalzheimer's #TUHdementiaawareness

IN THIS FINAL EPISODE, we rejoin BREDA COMISKEY, whom we met earlier in the series.  Despite having Alzheimer’s, Breda is living life to the full.

Heartfelt thanks to PROFESSOR SEÁN KENNELLY and his inspirational team at the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION at TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL for opening their doors and talking to us about the incredible and innovative work they do, and to the patients who generously shared their stories, including RONAN SLATER and his wife, CATHERINE, and BREDA COMISKEY. They have shone a light on what remains a much feared and little understood disease and shown how it is possible to live life to the full even after diagnosis. We hope this will encourage anyone experiencing memory issues to have their symptoms checked out and, if diagnosed with dementia or a mild cognitive impairment, to receive the help and support they need.

CONTRIBUTORS | Fionnuala Sweeney (Presenter), Professor Seán Kennelly & Breda Comiskey.

MUSIC | composed and performed by Jon Henderson (guitar).

PRODUCTION | ChromeRadio (www.chromemedia.co.uk) for the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION, TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, DUBLIN | Producer - Catriona Oliphant | Post-production - Catriona Oliphant & Chris Sharp

FURTHER INFORMATION | TUH Institute of Memory & Cognition

#themanyfacesofalzheimer's #TUHdementiaawareness

Welcome to this introduction to THE MANY FACES OF ALZHEIMER'S, brought to you by the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION at TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, DUBLIN. 

Every three seconds, someone, somewhere in the world, develops dementia. The symptoms don’t always mean the cause is Alzheimer’s disease, but it is the most common type of dementia. Either way, getting help sooner can greatly extend your quality of life. Today, the supports available are greater than ever, and there are new medications coming online that can slow down the progress of the disease.   

PRESENTER FIONNUALA SWEENEY’s father, Tom Sweeney, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease after years of experiencing memory issues and died in late 2021.  After his death, she realised that for several years he had been keeping his concerns to himself. He had known something was wrong but didn’t seek help because of the stigma surrounding the disease.

Fionnuala wanted to do something so that no-one experiencing memory difficulties need ever be afraid to seek help and so contacted PROFESSOR SEÁN KENNELLY at the INSTITUTE OF MEMORY & COGNITION at TALLAGHT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, DUBLIN, a regional specialist memory service that is pioneering a novel and inclusive approach to the assessment and support of people with cognitive issues and dementia. This podcast series is the result.

CONTRIBUTORS | Fionnuala Sweeney (Presenter) & Professor Seán Kennelly (Institute of Memory & Cognition, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin).

MUSIC | composed and performed by Jon Henderson (guitar).

PRODUCTION | ChromeRadio (www.chromemedia.co.uk) for the Institute of Memory & Cognition, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin | Producer - Catriona Oliphant | Post-production - Catriona Oliphant & Chris Sharp

FURTHER INFORMATION | TUH Institute of Memory & Cognition

#themanyfacesofalzheimer's #TUHdementiaawareness

In this podcast our Consultant Endocrinologist Dr. Lucy Ann Behan explains menopause, and what can be done to help women ease common symptoms like hot flushes and anxiety. Lucy also talks about what options are available for women who may not be able to take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Her colleague Colleen Byrne an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Women’s Health talks about how women can experience bleeding as a result of HRT and how best to manage this. The Let’s Talk about women’s health is a six part series produced with the support of the South Dublin County Partnerships Health Project.

In this podcast, Cathy McHale, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, at the Hospital’s Institute of Memory & Cognition drills down on the latest advice from the Lancet Commission as to what women can do to keep their brains healthy to prevent dementia. Her colleague Dr Valerie Twomey a Neuropsychologist who is also the head of the TUH Psychology Department offers advice on coping with brain fog. Additional Resources Link to Mediterranean Diet - https://irishheart.ie/how-to-keep-your-heart-healthy/blood- pressure/mediterranean-diet/ WHO Report on electronic cigarettes / Vaping https://www.who.int/news-room/questions- and-answers/item/tobacco-e-cigarettes Sleep Hygiene Information Sheet - http://www.tuh.ie/!XNYSHQ The Let’s Talk about women’s health is a six part series produced with the support of the South Dublin County Partnerships Health Project.

In this podcast, Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Chest Pain Shirley Ingram explains that heart disease is the biggest killer of women in Ireland. It’s not all bad news however as Shirley explains there is much women can do to prevent heart disease like eating a healthy diet and exercising. Her colleague David Askin an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Bone Health explains why it’s so important that women make sure they are getting enough calcium and vitamin D and also how strength and resistance exercises can help protect your bones both during and after menopause.

Additional resources https://irishheart.ie/how-to-keep-your-heart-healthy/ https://irishheart.ie/campaigns/her-heart-matters-heart-month/ https://www2.hse.ie/living-well/quit-smoking/vaping/ https://www.drinkaware.ie/drinks-calculator/ https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/menopause/ https://www.irishosteoporosis.ie/correct-exercises-for-good-bone-health/ https://www.exwell.ie The Let’s Talk about women’s health is a six part series produced with the support of the South Dublin County Partnerships Health Project.

In this podcast, we hear from Consultant Gynaecologist Dr. Aoife O’Neil who explains what causes pelvic prolapse, which can lead to incontinence for some women. Our Specialist Urogynaecology Physiotherapist Gráinne Wall, explains from a physiotherapy point of view what can be done in terms of the different exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvis which may have weakened for different reasons e.g. childbirth. Cheryl Gilmore an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Women’s Health explains the range of assorted devices that women can have inserted to help ease the symptoms of pelvic prolapse and finally, our Dr. O’Neill talks about whether surgery might be an option.

Additional resources www.squeeztapp.com Also www.iscp.ie is the website for the Irish society of chartered physiotherapists in which there is a database of physiotherapists working in pelvic health and a resource page with information. The Let’s Talk about women’s health is a six part series produced with the support of the South Dublin County Partnerships Health Project.

In this podcast, Consultant Gynaecologist Dr. Alison Di Maio and Specialist Endometriosis Nurse Paula Earley explain that endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places. For example, the ovaries, the lining of the tummy and fallopian tubes. We hear how endometriosis can affect women of any age and that it is a long-term condition that can impact women on different levels. The good news is there are treatments and these are explained in detail by our two experts. The Let’s Talk about women’s health is a six part