Alzheimer Society of Ireland staff: Gemma O’Donnell, South Tipperary dementia adviser; Cathryn O’Leary, national community engagement manager; Donal Murphy, operations project manager; Anne Marie Veale, Waterford dementia adviser; Rebecca Smith, Day Care manager Mitchelstown/ Conna/ Dungarvan; David Power, Home Care coordinator for Waterford; Heather Musgrave, south-east regional operations manager; Siobhan O’Connor, head of Operations and Community Engagement.

Alzheimer Society to host dementia inclusive community event in Mullingar

Published: Mon 12 Feb 2024, 11:09 AM

Last updated: Mon 12 Feb 2024, 11:43 AM

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) have announced that they will host a dementia inclusive community event in Mullingar.

The aim is to encourage people, businesses and services to create a more nurturing and accepting environment for people living with dementia and their families in the community

The event is at the Annebrook House Hotel on Tuesday February 27, 7-9pm.

The Alzheimer Society say that people with dementia are among the most marginalised and can often face social exclusion and stigma.

Dementia Inclusive Communities, an initiative of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Friends of ASI, aims to invite community members and people living with dementia, to help make their communities more dementia-inclusive. The upcoming event in Mullingar underscores the ASI’s commitment to supporting people affected by dementia in Westmeath.

In May 2023, Tánaiste Michael Martin, opened The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Daycare Centre in Multyfarnham, a vital resource that provides support to people living with dementia and their carers in the community.

ASI head of Operations and Community Engagement, Siobhan O’Connor, said: “In May, we opened our new Daycare Centre in Multyfarnham and now, we are bringing our Friends of ASI programme to Mullingar. It is important that we reduce the stigma surrounding the condition so that people living with dementia feel heard, understood and valued and can live well in their communities.

“Through this event, we aim to engage and involve the community in creating an inclusive and understanding environment for people living with dementia in Mullingar.”

The Friends of ASI have previously hosted similar events in Macroom and Mallow in Cork, and in Dungarvan, County Waterford. In November 2023, the ASI launched Mahon Point Shopping Centre as the first dementia-inclusive shopping centre in Ireland.

An estimated 1,154 people live with dementia in Westmeath, and 63% of people with dementia live in the community in Ireland.

For more information about the Dementia-Inclusive Community event, contact friendsofasi@alzheimer.ie.