28th Alzheimer Europe Conference

First day of the #28AEC

A powerful session on Human Rights and the need for the involvement of people with dementia in all aspects regarding dementia – from diagnosis to care to treatment to research.

However, why are people with dementia can be denied their human rights from the time of diagnosis, this is a direct insult on their human rights.

From Helen Rochford-Brennan

Dementia villages – I do not want to move to a dementia specific village – we do not discuss gathering up all of those with diabetes and put them in one village. But society is happy to do this for people with the condition of dementia. Not a criticism of facilities but of a system that allows this for a choice!

Over prescription of anti-psychotic drugs – psychotropic prescribing – people living with dementia are often described as aggressive or challenging but this are all normal human emotions, why should people with dementia be medicated out of their human emotions. These drugs are still commonly used in nursing homes, mood changing drugs are still commonly used for those prior to this – why is this necessary for people with dementia? This needs to be addressed and change!

My view:

More researchers, healthcare professionals and those that sit on ethics committees (as I do) need to understand these important aspects of human rights for people with dementia and allow them to decide when and how they want to be involved in various initiatives rather than being over protective and assuming an understanding of their wishes and working in their 'best intentions'.