Caring for a loved can be an incredibly difficult job, regardless of what stage of the illness they are at. It can often take a huge amount of strength and perseverance, particularly if it is a form of dementia, because of its degenerative nature. In March we spoke to the incredible Kathy Ryan, who lives with Younger Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, who’s doing incredible work to advocate around Alzheimer’s Awareness in Ireland. Since Kathy’s appearance on the podcast, further discussion on Dementia has been one of our most requested topics from listeners through the Grief Encounter’s social media channels. 

Kathy’s story is extremely special, because it is not often that you get to hear it from the side of those currently living with the illness, on a platform like this podcast. A more common representation comes from those who have lost someone, and on this week’s podcast Ray Cregan gives Sasha and Venetia an extremely honest and truthful account of how difficult a disease like vascular Dementia can be fore not only the patient, but those who care for them. 

Ray cared for his father Paddy, who passed away almost 4 years ago from the illness. Casting his mind back to the first signs of the disease , Ray explains that the nature of vascular dementia for his father was little stroke events, and that as time passed he noticed little differences.“So there's this guy and he is looking forward to retirement and paying a bit more golf, hanging out with Beatrice my mum and suddenly these event’s start happening to him. He would just zone out and he was gone for a moment or two”.  

Ray cared for his father for over eight years, and in that period saw a very unpredictable digression of Paddy’s mental and physical health. In the interview Ray speaks a lot about the difficulties that come with the job of being a carer, which is a subject that often gets brushed aside in conversation. “There was huge frustration involved, because it was outlined to me that as long as Paddy is alive, I have to be this taxi service that bring him backwards and forwards. That had curtailed my opportunities to seek employment and do something else with life.”

His refreshing honest account of those eight years helps to create a more honest conversation around all the caveats that come with a loved ones diagnosis. Ray joined the Dementia Carers Campaign Network (DCCN) a number of years ago to lend his voice to the call for better dementia supports.  He is now vice-chair of the DCCN which has almost 50 family carer advocates. 

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A special thanks to The Alzheimer Society of Ireland for helping us put this weeks episode together. If you or a family member maybe suffering from signs of the disease, you can find more information on their website & helpline. 

Helpline: The Alzheimer Society of Ireland National Helpline is open six days a week Monday to Friday 10am–5pm and Saturday 10am–4pm on 1800 341 341 or helpline@alzheimer.ie

Website: www.alzheimer.ie

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