Alzheimer's/Dementia sufferers and how they are treated by the law in Ireland

blueknight

Now is the time to change the law.

A person suffering from Alzheimer's is considered a lunatic under Irish law. According to the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act, 1871 a “lunatic” is defined as “any person found by inquisition an idiot, lunatic or of unsound mind, and incapable of managing himself or his affairs”. The law in this area is currently being reformed, and this opportunity may not come again for another hundred years, so this is the time to have this stigma removed once and for all.

We need your support - to help remove the stigma, please sign the petition at:

http://www.activism.com/en_IE/petition/alzheimer-s-and-the-new-capacity-legislation-2013/42967

Thank you for your support.

CeannRua

What is the law being changed to say? Is the stigma you mention the use of the word 'lunatic' or lack of control over their own affairs?

blueknight

CeannRua wrote: »

What is the law being changed to say? Is the stigma you mention the use of the word 'lunatic' or lack of control over their own affairs?

I don't follow your question?

jimgoose

blueknight wrote: »

Now is the time to change the law.

A person suffering from Alzheimer's is considered a lunatic under Irish law. According to the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act, 1871 a “lunatic” is defined as “any person found by inquisition an idiot, lunatic or of unsound mind, and incapable of managing himself or his affairs”. The law in this area is currently being reformed, and this opportunity may not come again for another hundred years, so this is the time to have this stigma removed once and for all.

We need your support - to help remove the stigma, please sign the petition at:

http://www.activism.com/en_IE/petition/alzheimer-s-and-the-new-capacity-legislation-2013/42967

Thank you for your support.

Agreed and done. In fact, more civilized jurisdictions are in the process of banning that word from all statute. Case in point, the USA.

CeannRua

blueknight wrote: »

I don't follow your question?

I don't follow the OP! You say the law is being reformed but didn't explain how. If it is the word 'lunatic' that is being dropped, my question simply is what is it being replaced with?

blueknight

CeannRua wrote: »

I don't follow the OP! You say the law is being reformed but didn't explain how. If it is the word 'lunatic' that is being dropped, my question simply is what is it being replaced with?

We wish to have these derogatory terms removed from Irish law, and we are not convinced that it is necessary to re-categorize persons suffering from Alzheimer's.

Aquarius34

The word lunatic, comes from the word lunar, which is the moon. Our emotions and psyche is affected greatly by the moon especially on a full moons phases. Animals follow moon phases and menstrual cycles are followed by the moon also. People do not realise how much the moon affects us. Our bodies is made mostly of water and it pulls us just as it does to everything else on the Earth. The word lunatic comes from this connection and it affects our behaviours. This is why people the saying comes about he's going "loony" when the moon is out.

The word lunatic has no connection to any serious mental illness. It's a word that has been generalized and made as such. The word has been turned into a derogative meaning.

jimgoose

Aquarius34 wrote: »

The word lunatic, comes from the word lunar, which is the moon. Our emotions and psyche is affected greatly by the moon especially on a full moons phases. Animals follow moon phases and menstrual cycles are followed by the moon also. People do not realise how much the moon affects us. Our bodies is made mostly of water and it pulls us just as it does to everything else on the Earth. The word lunatic comes from this connection and it affects our behaviours. This is why people the saying comes about he's going "loony" when the moon is out.

The word lunatic has no connection to any serious mental illness. It's a word that has been generalized and made as such. The word has been turned into a derogative meaning.

Correct. Hence the problem.