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SENATOR RÓNÁN MULLEN has spoken of his father’s battle with dementia and how he moved home to Galway to help care for him.
The Independent senator spoke about his family situation as the Alzheimer Society of Ireland launched a campaign to urge the government to provide support for home carers.
The organisation said the government has failed to honour its commitment to people with dementia by failing to provide for dementia sufferers in its 2016 budget.
Mullen said he moved back to his family home in Galway last year to help his family care for his father.
“I went from going home to whenever I can to going away from home if I have to,” Mullen told RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke this morning. “I just changed my base of operations.
I’d like to stress I would see my mother as carrying the cross here.
Mullen said his father, Tom, campaigned for him back in 2007 and was proud to knock on doors for his son.
“He’d have got into the jeep and gone around to friends and people he’d have known from his dancing days or would have done building jobs for,” he said.
However by the 2011 election, his father was “a much diminished man”, Mullen said. And in the most recent election, he didn’t understand why Mullen’s face was on leaflets around the house.
Tom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years ago, but Mullen said it took a while for him to realise how much his father was changing.
“At the time I was coming home a lot, but I was not based at home,” he said. “I think I wasn’t observing very well and I was perhaps inclined to see the best in each situation.”
My mother, as the spouse and his closest observer for much longer and his closest companion, she would notice every little change. Sometimes we’d think she was worrying too much when in fact she wasn’t.
Mullen said his father would now have no understanding about current affairs such as the recent Brexit vote.
“The people who are long dead are currently alive in his life. That took us a while to get used to,” he said.
You learn to bluff to keep people happy. He’d call me by my late uncle Bill’s name so I think he must have a sense a lot of the time that we’re his brothers.
“Go with the flow”
Mullen said he used to contradict his father but he now “goes with the flow” to keep him happy.
If he says black is white, I say, ‘It is indeed dad’
Mullen said he was grateful to the family GP who advised the family to settle their financial affairs and his father’s will while he was still able to. He said his mother, a nurse “knows what’s coming down the tracks”.
The senator referred to a period in 1998 when his father was seriously ill. “I asked (my mother) a couple of years ago, would you find it easier to let go now?
“And when I asked her that question, she said, ‘To be honest, I would. Because I’ve lost my companion.’
“And that’s tough.”
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Without a doubt one of the cruellest conditions for both the patient and family
Yes being related to a reactionary Senator must be tough, my sympathies to all who suffer this horrible affliction.
Your comment says more about you than it says about Senator Mullen, do not ever forget the old proverb “Mocking is catching” Larry
There is always 1
When my dear old mum got Alzheimers many years ago i joined a care group for families.
The lady taking the class told how her mum would constantly “escape” out the front door of her home. The daughter had an idea to put a “mens” toilet sign on the inside of her front door. She never “escaped” again. Her mum was too polite to ever enter one of those places. Some times you just gotta laugh at what life dishes up.
Excellent…a light hearted addition to an otherwise awful situation for all ..
Heard a similar story about a care home who had a resident who kept going missing, only to be found down the road at a bus stop trying to catch a bus home. They installed a fake bus stop outside and she’d stand there for a while waiting for a bus which would never come until she was spotted by the staff and escorted back inside.
Funny in one way, but very sad if it’s your parent or grandparent.
I read an article before about a centre for residents and because they kept escaping they built units on the complex . They built a little shop and a hairdresser and a coffee shop. The residents think they are just going to the shops and things like that and yet they never leave the complex . They even have a bus stop where the ‘ bus ‘ brings them home to the main living quarters . I suppose it lets them think that there’s nothing wrong and that they are just living their lives as normal .. it’s a lovely idea
Terrible affliction that seems to be a lot more prevalent now as well affecting more people at a younger age. I wonder why that is?
Heavy metals building up on the brain….it can be found in our water, food, toiletries and most recently in abundance in our skies.
You mean to say that chequer board sky I see on most clear days in Dublin are not harmless contrails?
You were asking the question but you seem to already know the answer why these terrible diseases are skyrocketing.
Well its good to know that there are others out there Mr Durkin :)
Touche
Unfortunately Ziggy, there ain’t enough of us to do anything about it and people still believe that certain institutions have their best interests at heart.
The short answer is people are living longer, your strands of DNA get shorter each time your cells divide as you age. Enzymes work to extend the strands to prevent them from decaying too fast and an organism expiring prematurely. It’s complex but thus basically puts a useless sequence of protein molecules repeated over and over on the end of your brain proteins.
When this goes wrong, the sequence is added over and over again and the proteins aggregate, forming fibers and plaques that attract metals like zinc and aluminum. This basically strangle and kill the neurons slowly killing the brain activity.
Studies have repeatedly shown that everyday exposure to these metals particularly used in antiperspirant and cosmetic products presents no increase in risk.
Science Dude 1 Crazy Conspiracy Theorist 0
The sheeple never learn, Tariq.
Tariq and Phil are the sock puppets using same IP address.
Do you get the ip addresses from the CIA from the KGB? Can you tell what mine is?
I think heavy metal may have affected your brain too.
A tinfoil hat will keep the chemicals off ya. In the mean time toilet water tastes great
I have empathy for anyone suffering from this condition and those that care for their loved ones as it is a very complex and underresourced process and certainly the families save the state millions in providing their care . I wouldn’t wish it on anyone including RM with whom I profoundly disagree . I hope that through this difficult time he finds the resources and compassion to deal with this and that this will be carried into his public life
Whatever about people not liking this man’s views, including myself, the story is about his dad’s illness and how he’s dealing with it.
I’m sure we’ll have plenty of other opportunities to comment on Mr. Mullen’s views. He’s normally good for a couple of whoppers every now and then.
If only more carers : would cost less than nursing homes or institutions and still no sign of change.
If you have the aggressive type of Dementia it’s nearly impossible to get a nursing home bed as they need full on care
I have complete sympathy for Mr Mullins, his dad and the wider family. I have seen people I know experience dementia in a loved one and seen the impact. I have no time for Mr Mullins as a senator and I have massive issues with his views on public policy but I can empathise with a fellow human going through a hard time. I hope that he and his family get all the support they need.
I see we can’t comment negatively about this man…
How about addressing the fact he’s repeatedly voiced his staunch opposition to all forms of assistive reproductive technology and medicine including the stem cell research that shows the most promising avenue of regenerating neurons and treating such a neurodegenerative conditions?
And the complete and total hypocrisy it is for him to stand there expecting sympathy from people when he would willingly denying others and hinder the future development of treatments because it goes against his own personal religious beliefs?
Nope, every comment that mentions or alludes to his nastiness is swiftly removed by the Journal police.
How long do you want to be old for anyway? Genuine question.
Going by the headline it seems the Catholic Church also suffers from Alzheimer’s.
Hilarious. You’re so funny
Just because you disagree with someone does not make him evil and bigoted That is a very immature attitude
John003 just because you disagree with someone does not make them right or worthy of respect either.
Like you Larry
Like you too Con.
I’m sitting here with my dad watching the football and he thinks Portugal are a goal and a point up.
It’s a cruel disease and research is poorly funded but what isn’t in this country.
It is a very sad situation. But a big question for the next generation is euthanasia and self right to end your life. Ronan’s opinions no doubt will be heard.
Nothing funny watching your family member fade away until nothing of the real person remains . It is a nasty cruel way to end your days . I don’t know the Gentleman or his Son , but my heart goes out to them . The worst has yet to come and he will know that.
Ah Rónán – a face for radio
Roman Mullin a decent man with good values, highlighting an important issue. He is highly regarded by many people a fact not always appreciated.
In fairness, Ronan Mullen was excellent that white was black during the SSM Referendum and so the converse should not have been difficult.
I do hope that Mullen’s father will be treated in a “very special way” and get the care that he wanted ..
Tans Fats may be the root cause of Alzheimers. Trans fats cause Diabetes Type 2 by inhibiting insulin function on the cell walls. It may also be the cause of Amyloid protein in the cell wall being cut in the wrong place and giving rise to toxic plaque which kills brain cells.
Trans fats were invented by a German chemist (patent 141,029 ). They prolong the shelf life of food(bacteria wont eat it) but shorten yours. It is not easy to avoid trans fats but a good rule is avoid all food in packets or processed food , even chips from your chipper.
Barack Obama has banned Trans Fats for all Americans from 2018.
It is good to highlight this issue. It needs to be highlighted.
But would an ordinary person get this profile in relation to a parent?
The UCG and NUI electorate for the Seanad comprise a highly reactionary and fundamentalist demographic.
Isn’t it a pity that a story about a dying father and a families suffering has to descend in to a political debate and a weapon to hit them with as if they were not suffering enough. Nobody cares what you think about Ronan Mullan the story is about what many families are suffering to let them know they are not alone and the disease doesn’t discriminate
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