The need for a human rights approach to dementia care was the focus of an event hosted by TCD School of Social Work & Social Policy this week.

The panel discussion was held to mark the launch of a new book 'Human Rights in Dementia Care: A Good Practice Guide' co-authored by Prof. Suzanne Cahill, Dr Fiona Kelly and Dr Helen Rochford-Brennan LLD.

Speakers at the event included Eamon O’Shea, Director of the Centre for Economic and Social Research on Dementia at University of Galway; Suzanne Cahill, TCD School of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity; Helen Rochford-Brennan LLD, Global Dementia Ambassador; Fiona Kelly, former Lecturer in Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and Andy Heffernan, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

The book has been written for health care professionals and for family caregivers and aims to provide the tools required to enable paid and unpaid caregivers to use a human rights-based approach in dementia care.

Suzanne Cahill explained: “The conventional thinking about dementia is that it is a cognitive brain disorder, that causes memory loss and progressive cognitive and functional decline.

"In this book we challenge conventional thinking and argue that dementia can also be seen as a disability and viewed through a human rights lens. The disability framing is important as it forces us to think about fairness and equality issues and what we in society can do, to help to improve the individual’s quality of life."

Andy Heffernan, Chief Executive of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, added: “Human Rights in Dementia Care powerfully illustrates how a rights-based approach can be applied from diagnosis through to end-of-life care. Grounded in lived experience, practical models, and the application of international conventions, this book is an essential guide. It challenges us all—constructively and positively—to reflect on and transform our approach to dementia care in Ireland.”

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