Praxis Care Dementia Information event held in Coleraine to launch Dementia Action Week

• 16 May 2023
• |
• N. Ireland

Praxis Care held an informal information event in Coleraine’s Town Hall yesterday inviting people living with dementia and their friends and carers to join us to hear about our new Dementia Carer Coordinator Service and other local supports by the Alzheimer’s Society.

Praxis Care Dementia Carer Coordinator role has been funded  by The Department of Health through their Community Foundation to help build carer resilience, improving carer well-being and confidence and to represent understanding of carers needs and issues to statutory bodies and government.

The event was a celebration of ‘Living well with dementia.’ Praxis Care are keen to reinforce the message that with the right help and support people living with dementia can and do live well. We want carers to know there is help and support available locally and to not be afraid to ask for help and guidance.

This event coincides with Dementia Action Week 15 – 21 May 2023 .

Dementia Action Week is the Alzheimer’s Society’s largest and longest running Dementia Awareness Campaign. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to act on dementia. This year’s theme is to encourage timely diagnosis so people living with dementia can access the right supports.

Currently over 22,000 people are living with dementia in NI. Approximately 35% do not have a formal diagnosis. By 2040, the number of people living with dementia in the UK is expected to nearly double to 1.6million (figures from Alzheimer’s Society).

Assistant Manager Geoff Bunting and Team Leader Jacqueline McIntyre from our Coleraine Floating Support service organised the event to help celebrate the launch of Dementia Action Week and raise awareness. They were joined by Tracy Smyth who was recently appointed as Dementia Carer Coordinator .

Praxis Care have many dementia services throughout NI which include assisted living schemes in Newtownabbey (The Croft) and Lisburn (St.Paul’s Court) and Floating Support services in Coleraine, Foyle and Lisnaskea.