Dementia carers are offered GP’s support

A SEMI-RETIRED GP is calling on his experience to offer a helping hand to the carers of people with dementia.

Dr Eamon O’Daly and his fellow-members from the Patient Participation Group at Saddleworth Medical Practice, have set up a support group that holds its first meeting tomorrow.

And they are throwing out an open invitation to anyone affected by dementia to join them.

Dr O’Daly, who lives in Saddleworth and works part time in Yorkshire, has throughout his career seen people struggle to care for loved ones with dementia.

Dementia falls into three categories — mild, moderate and severe — and although there were different kinds, the behaviour of people affected often followed the same pattern.

The vast majority of sufferers are in the mild to moderate categories, although the disease is progressive.

“People die with dementia, not of it, and some people find they are carers for many years,” he said.

Dr O’Daly said carers often became increasingly isolated.

“They find it more and more difficult to get out and friends tend to disappear. They don’t call round because they don’t quite know what they are going to face,” he explained.

Dr O’Daly estimates that around 600,000 people have some level of dementia in the UK, and predicted an increase over time as a result of irreversible brain damage caused by illegal drug-taking.

He said 90 per cent of people with dementia are looked after by a partner or family member.

“They are very often of a similar age, very often with their own health problems, and with families getting smaller it generally falls on one person to battle on at a time of their lives when they are not at their best,” he said. “It is very important to keep up the morale and well-being of carers, or a bad situation very rapidly becomes worse.”

Dr O’Daly (75) was the catalyst for a series of social groups set up six years ago to help carers of people with dementia around Dewsbury, where he still works as a GP.

“They are very successful and are mainly social, although they do give advice and information.

“People call in for a coffee and a chat as often as they like, get their nails done, play cards, or talk to other people who are, or have been, in the same situation,” said Dr O’Daly.

The Saddleworth group will meet on the second Friday of each month, from 10am to noon, at Sacred Heart Church Hall, High Street, Uppermill.


PEOPLE can find out more about caring for those with dementia at a meeting in Hollinwood on Saturday.

Expert nurse Gaynor Hammond, who has trained hospital staff in dementia awareness, will speak at the event at Beulah Baptist and United Reformed Church, Withins Road.

Representatives from Age Concern and Oldham’s dementia respite care service at Limecroft will also answer questions about local facilities and support.

The meeting starts at 2pm and includes refreshments.