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CareMapIreland

Situation

When memory or behaviour has changed

What to do first in Ireland when you notice memory loss, confusion or changed behaviour in an older relative.

Last reviewed: 11 September 2026Verified

Not all confusion is dementia. Infection, dehydration, pain, medication changes, poor hearing and low mood can all cause confusion, and several of those are treatable. Confusion that comes on quickly needs prompt medical attention.

The GP is the starting point for assessment. Independent dementia organisations are usually the fastest source of family information and local support while that is under way.

First steps

  1. Keep a short dated note of specific changes and when you first noticed them
  2. Book a GP appointment and bring the note and a current medication list
  3. Seek prompt medical advice if confusion came on suddenly or with illness
  4. Contact a dementia helpline for family information and local services

Who can help, and what each of them does

Ask for people by role. It is the quickest way past a general phone number.

Their GP
The starting point. The GP can look for treatable causes, review medication, and decide whether a referral to a memory clinic or other specialist service is appropriate.
An independent dementia helpline
Family-facing information and local services, usually available without any diagnosis and without a referral. Often the fastest source of practical help while assessment is under way.
The Public Health Nurse
Reachable through the GP practice for the person's address. Advises on community nursing and other local services.
The local HSE Home Support Office
Where a Home Support application is made if help with daily tasks is becoming necessary. The application is based on an assessment of what the person can and cannot do day to day, so you do not need to wait for a diagnosis before applying.

What to have ready

None of this is a formal requirement we can promise on anyone's behalf — it is simply what tends to be asked for, and having it written down saves repeating yourself.

  • A short dated note of specific changes — what happened, when you first noticed it, and whether it is getting worse
  • A current list of medication, including anything recently started, stopped or changed
  • Whether hearing and eyesight have been checked recently
  • Any recent illness, infection, fall, hospital stay or period of poor appetite or fluid intake
  • Practical examples rather than labels: repeated questions, missed bills, getting lost on a familiar route, cooking left on

Questions worth asking

Ask their GP

  • Could anything treatable be contributing — infection, dehydration, pain, medication, hearing, eyesight, low mood, thyroid?
  • Would a medication review help?
  • Do you think an assessment for memory problems is appropriate, and where would that happen?
  • What should we watch for, and what would count as a reason to contact you sooner?

Ask a dementia helpline or local support service

  • What information and support is available to families in our area?
  • Are there day services, social clubs or carer groups locally?
  • What do families usually find hardest at this stage, and what helps?

Ask yourselves as a family

  • Who is going to attend appointments and hold the notes?
  • What are we already covering, and what happens on the days nobody is available?
  • Has anyone talked to them about decisions they would want made if they became less able to make them?

What can happen next

Possible paths, not predictions. Decisions about assessment, hours and timing are made by the HSE locally, and we never claim to know the outcome in advance.

  • Something treatable is foundConfusion has many causes. Where an infection, medication effect, pain or a sensory problem is contributing, treating it can improve things noticeably. This is why the GP comes first rather than an internet search.
  • Further assessment is arrangedThe GP may refer on for more detailed assessment. Waiting times and the exact service vary by area, so ask the practice what to expect locally.
  • Practical support is put in place before any diagnosisYou do not have to wait for a diagnosis to apply for Home Support, ask about day services, or look at safety at home. These run on separate processes.
  • Legal and decision-making questions come upIreland has a statutory framework for assisted decision-making overseen by the Decision Support Service. It is easier to consider while the person can take part in the conversation. We set out where the official information is rather than giving legal advice.

What to do while you wait

  • Keep the dated note going — a written record is far more useful at appointments than memory
  • Deal with anything immediately unsafe now: cooking, medication, heating, front-door safety, driving concerns
  • Keep routines, familiar surroundings and social contact going where you can
  • If they play down the difficulty, avoid arguing about the label and talk about help with specific tasks
  • Look at carer supports for yourself before you are exhausted, not after

Support that often applies here

Relevant does not mean approved. Each of these has its own assessment or decision process, run by the HSE, a local authority or the Department of Social Protection.

Guides that help you prepare

Where the facts on this page come from

How the system works is taken from the official pages below. Everything else here is practical experience of dealing with that system, not official guidance — and none of it is clinical or legal advice.