Over the past 12 months, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (The ASI) has been proactively engaging with local communities in County Cork, Mallow and Macroom, to establish both towns as Dementia-Inclusive Communities and to create supports and services for People Living with Dementia and their families.
The Friends of ASI is a dementia-inclusive programme. It includes training, awareness, education, and services and aims to encourage people, businesses, and services to create a more nurturing and accepting environment for people living with dementia and their families in their community. People living with dementia are among the most marginalised in our society and can often face social exclusion and stigma. The Friends of ASI group is typically made up of volunteers, local businesses, sporting and community groups, public representatives, and healthcare.

Mallow
Mallow became the second town in County Cork to embrace the Friends of ASI initiative. In January, a community information event was held, with over 60 people attending. This resulted in the formation of a committed team of volunteers. Their aim is to establish a Dementia-Inclusive Community in Mallow and its surrounding areas.
Over the past three months, the group has proactively engaged with the local community promoting awareness of dementia and the supports available from The ASI. Over 40 individuals have participated in dementia awareness training this month. In addition, local secondary schools have expressed an interest in participating in the ‘Creating a Dementia-Inclusive Generation’ transition year programme in September. The initiative aims to educate teenagers about Dementia and remove its stigma.
“The progress the Friends of ASI Groups in Macroom and Mallow have made in just a year is truly inspiring and highlights the positive impact a community can have when they come together,” said Siobhan O’Connor, Head of Operations and Community Engagement at The ASI.
“To witness communities embracing the opportunity to build a more accepting and inclusive community for all is something special – when it’s communities in your Home County, well that’s just the icing on the cake,” Siobhan, a Macroom native, continues. “A huge thank you to our Friends of ASI Groups for their incredible dedication and commitment to date; by reducing the stigma surrounding dementia in County Cork, we can ensure that those affected feel heard, understood, and valued, allowing them to live well in their communities.”

Dementia Awareness Training
Both Friends of ASI groups have proactively engaged with local businesses and community groups regarding dementia awareness training. Several group members have been trained to deliver training and over 75 individuals have participated in the training workshops. here is a waiting list for over 30 businesses.

Fundraising
Fundraising plays an important role in supporting The ASI services in County Cork. Over the past 12 months, over €13,500 has been raised by both groups for The ASI, by supporting National Campaigns such as Denim Day for Dementia, Alzheimer’s Tea Day, Alzheimer’s Memory Walk, and local fundraising initiatives. This is a fantastic achievement for the Friends of ASI groups and their supporters locally.

A key element to creating a Dementia Inclusive Community is engaging with the local community and attending various events. Since their establishment, both Friends of ASI groups have built solid relationships with the local organisations and have participated in several local community events promoting The ASI and the services provided. These events also provided a good opportunity to recruit volunteers.
The Dementia-Inclusive Community initiative is working alongside the HSE’s Dementia: Understand Together campaign. Dementia: Understand Together, a national partnership between The ASI, HSE, Age Friendly Ireland, Age & Opportunity, Dementia Services Information and Development Centre, and Healthy Ireland, encourages community members and people living with dementia to make their communities more dementia-inclusive.
It is inspiring to see what a difference a year has made, and it just shows what can be achieved when a community responds. If you would like to get involved with Friends of ASI and making a positive contribution to People living with Dementia and their families, contact friendsofasi@alzheimer.ie.