Edel writes:
Advocates living with Younger Onset Alzheimer’s are to address a screening of ‘Still Alice (2014)’ at the Irish Film Institute, Temple Bar, Dublin at 3.45pm..
Starring Oscar winning Julianne Moore, ‘Still Alice’ charts the journey of a young Harvard Professor following a diagnosis of Younger Onset Dementia shortly after her 50th birthday.
The event, which has been organised by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the Irish Film Institute, is aimed at raising awareness of what life is like for the 48,000 people living with dementia in this country, 4000 of whom are under 65 years of age.
ASI Irish Dementia Working Group advocates Ronan Smith and Helen Rochford Brennan will join a panel discussion following the screening.
A concurrent social media campaign has seen people all over the country upload pictures of their loved ones [as above] with Alzheimer’s to the ASI twitter pages….
Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland
My late Dad was diagnosed with early onset when he was 60…probably been developing for a good few years before that. He had a couple of other health problems that, in my opinion, accelerated his illness more and lead to his death at 67. People think Alzheimers is an old persons disease, it isn’t. The clinic dad used to attend had people in their 30’s and 40’s with it.
I wished that my dad had cancer instead of Alzheimers, at least you can fight cancer…you can’t fight Alzheimers. It slowly takes away the person you love, their essence, their being and turns them into a shell.
my mam was 69 when she died after more than 6 years of pure hell for my dad.
A powerfully intelligent woman who had beaten cancer twice in the decade previous to diagnosis.
I also wish cancer had taken her rather than what she and the rest of the family went through
I hope people have got permission from their loved ones, who are suffering from the disease, to post their picture on social media, otherwise it constitutes a gross invasion of privacy, regardless of any good intentions.
There’s always one :(
That’s what I thought
This is a great idea. My mum has Early Onset Alzheimer’s and we feel utterly abandoned, The stigma that goes hand in hand with this disease is so isolating, well done,
Fair play. Hope it works out for you all.
Julianne Moore
Badoyoyoyoying
T, that’s a fairly crap comment given the subject matter.
It’s none of my business what you say I suppose, but you’re a contrary hoor and you’re not afraid to give out to people yourself…
Oh good. We’ve found the one thing you don’t hate – making inappropriate comments on an Alzheimer’s post.
…there is a group in England called Young Dementia based in the Oxford area who have been going for several years and I’m sure they would be pleased to share their expertise.
I saw Ronan Smith on Brendan O’Connor’s show (I know, I know). He was erudite, charming and utterly, utterly impressive. I couldn’t believe how matter-of-fact he was in view of the fact his Dad died with Alzheimer’s, so he knows the score.
The one time I noticed him wavering was when he spoke of the stigma: neighbours/friends crossing the road rather than having to meet sufferers/their carers.
It’s the most undignified of ways to die: it robs you of you. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. In view of that, I was all the more impressed with Ronan. A brave gentleman. I salute him and wish him the very best. I hope they find a cure very, very soon.