The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Research Group at Beaumont Hospital and Trinity College is developing an educational programme for Healthcare professionals treating patients and families of people with MND. As part of this educational programme the Trinity/Beaumont research team hosted a free Study Day for 250 Healthcare Professionals on Friday 25th November 2016 around the cognitive, behavioural and personality changes that can occur in MND, and how to recognize and better manage these changes in the context of the overall management of MND.
The purpose of the study day was to help those affected by MND in their professions to recognize the impact of our evolving understanding of cognitive and behavioural change on disease management.
It is now recognized that up to 30% of people with MND experience cognitive and behavioural changes, and up to 13% experience a dementia-like syndrome. More subtle behavioural changes can be demonstrated in up to 50% of patients.
Research by the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Research Group at Beaumont and Trinity College Dublin has shown that these changes can increase the burden of care for families, and there is evidence to suggest that this burden may be under-reported by families and under-recognized by healthcare professionals.
It is hoped that similar study days will be hosted in the future by the group to continue to disseminate our research in the area as it evolves. Alongside the information presented on the day each attending healthcare professional (HCP) received a booklet entitled Best Practice Guidelines for HCPs. This document is available for download by clicking the link below. This is intended for use as a reference for those who attended on the day as well as a resource to any interested healthcare professional who was not able to attend.
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