Tipperary aims to be dementia inclusive

The ambition to make County Tipperary’s towns and villages dementia inclusive arose from an opportunity with Tipperary Local Development Company (LCDC) for Healthy Ireland funding. Healthy Ireland funding is provided to address the national goals to age well, to reduce health inequalities, protect the public from threats to health and wellbeing and to create a healthy and safe environment. Tipperary County Council is supported by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the HSE’s ‘Dementia: Understand Together’ campaign in the adaptation and delivery of the different work strands.

Each year over 11,000 people in Ireland develop dementia. The majority of people with dementia in Ireland live in the community.

Over the last 12 months the Alzheimer Society have delivered ‘Learn Listen Link’ training on their platform providing the opportunity to consider how we can make our communities more dementia inclusive.

Dementia Cafés have been setup in a virtual capacity in Nenagh and Ballina Killaloe, Roscrea held its first café last Friday, September 24, and Thurles will host a café on October 6 in The Bookworm.

The next steps on the journey will provide focus on the towns of Nenagh, Roscrea, Thurles and Clonmel. An open meeting for Nenagh will take place on October 11 via Zoom. The organisers hope to build momentum in the four towns to host pop up events to promote awareness, raise understanding of dementia and inspire more individuals, businesses and community groups to take actions for those affected by the condition.

Ultimately, working in partnership with all the various stakeholders in our collective activities will enable those living with dementia to thrive in our communities.

FURTHER DETAILS

For more information or to attend the Nenagh meeting visit www.tipperarycoco.ie, email agefriendly@tipperarycoco.ie or call 076106500 and contact Fiona Crotty or Angela Sheehan.