In 2022, after 25 years of fundraising and lobbying, and with huge support from the public, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) Day Care Centre at Tredagh Lodge finally opened and it has been of great service to patients and their families ever since.

Having settled into their permanent home, the staff and volunteers at Tredagh Lodge are now widening their ambitions and are encouraging people, businesses, and services in Drogheda to work together to create a dementia-inclusive community.

To that end they have organised a dementia inclusive community event, which will take place in two weeks’ time on Thursday, 30th May at St. Peter's Church of Ireland on Peter Street at 7.00 pm. 

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.

This 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.

ASI Drogheda Branch Chairperson, Gerry Leydon said: "Dementia is not simply a health issue, but a social issue that requires a community response. We encourage everyone in Drogheda to join us as we embark on this exciting and important initiative to build a community of dementia inclusivity.”  

This event highlights The ASI's dedication to supporting individuals affected by dementia in Drogheda, following the successful launch of similar events in various counties across Ireland. In November 2023, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland celebrated the launch of Mahon Point Shopping Centre as the first dementia-inclusive shopping centre in the country. 

For more information, see www.alzheimer.ie