AHEAD of Brain Awareness Week, Donegal man Charlie McGinley has been celebrating the success of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s ‘Creating a Dementia Inclusive Generation’ programme.
Mr McGinley is a Community Engagement Officer with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and he travelled to Harold’s Cross in Dublin recently to mark the progress the Transition Year Programme has made.
The event featured speakers such as Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler TD, Director of The Dementia Services Information and Development Centre Matthew Gibb and past programme participants.
An innovative post-primary school programme, Creating a Dementia Inclusive Generation aims to educate young people about dementia and the impact it has, not only on the person living with the condition but also its impact on the extended family and carers.
Over 2,400 students in 50 schools – seven in Donegal – have engaged with the programme since its launch last year.
Mr McGinley said, “The feedback to this innovative programme has been fantastic. From visiting schools and talking to students and Transition year coordinators, they are getting so much from the programme. This is a programme based on empowerment – giving the youth of society the knowledge to play a key role in diminishing the stigma around dementia and making the world a safer and more inviting place for people living with dementia.”
The e-learning project contains five modules of self-directed learning on the Moodle platform. These include Growing Older, The Brain, Brain Health, What is Dementia and Perceptions of Dementia – all of which aim to help and facilitate knowledge, discussion, awareness and caring.
For more information contact communityengagement@alzheimer.ie.
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