Clare Mental Health Services pioneers new palliative care research

OVER 100 patients with dementia in Cappahard Lodge, Ennis, St Joseph’s Geriatric Hospital and Carrigoran Nursing Home, Newmarket-on-Fergus, are being assessed as part of an innovative action research project on the palliative care needs of people with non-malignant diseases.
Work on the project started last November and it was officially launched by Alzheimer Society of Ireland chief executive officer, Maurice O’Connell, at St Joseph’s Hospital on Friday.
Once the project is completed over a two-year period, it is expected that Clare Mental Health Services for Older People will lead the way in the development of a national framework for palliative care in dementia, after securing €100,000 in funding following a national competition.
The Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) invited applicants to make a submission to be awarded the exploratory research study, while funding has been secured from the IHF, Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Baxter International Foundation for the appointment of a part-time research officer for two years. This project is also supported by the HSE.
Palliative care is usually associated with end-of-life care for people with cancer. However,  a national study conducted by the  IHF and HSE found people with other life-limiting illnesses such as heart disease, respiratory disease and dementia also have palliative care needs.
Part-time research project officer, Marissa Butler, will be supported directly by consultant psychiatrist Dr Tom Reynolds and assistant director of nursing, Michele Hardiman. Key research partners are the local Primary Care Network and the Specialist Palliative Care (SPC) Services from Milford Hospice, Limerick.
Dr Reynolds commented, “This project is of major importance as we continue to emphasise the wide range of complex care needs for people with dementia. A palliative care framework may emerge as the most efficient and effective way to address those needs.
“The development of a national framework should help significantly to progress the agenda of providing appropriate care and highlighting appropriate resources required to provide that care for people with dementia.”
He said it will not apply to only those that receive interventions from mental health services but also for people living with their dementia without ever being referred to specialist services.
Clare Mental Health Service for Older People has been a pioneer nationally in bringing person-centred care from philosophy into practice in its Specialist Care Unit at Cappahard Lodge, he explained.
Dr Reynolds, who will celebrate 10 years as a local consultant later this year, paid tribute at the launch to the dedicated and passionate commitment of staff  for achieving the ISO quality assurance mark in 2003 and its retention since then.
He also praised local management, led by Dr Fergal Flynn and Mary Halpin, for facilitating  and improving the quality of care and embracing innovation in a challenging economic climate and clinical nurse specialists, Michele Hardiman and Ms Butler for their work. 
Maurice O’Connell pointed out family carers who played a key role in caring for their loved ones often felt disconnected when the patient is in the final stages of dementia.
“Integrating palliative care in dementia services and responding to carers’ needs as part of end-of-life services will enable us to provide more person-centred and better quality of life support to people with dementia and their families. 
“The society believes that the lessons from this pilot project will help us to develop new dementia-specific practices to maintain the personhood and dignity of those with dementia and their carers and families,” he said.
IHF spokeswoman Marie Lynch said this research project would demonstrate how palliative interventions can be delivered within a dementia service and provide direction for national policy in this area in the future, easing the journey that people with dementia face.