Throughout November, we’re zig-zagging the country with a single goal in mind: helping people better understand the realities of living with dementia.
Working alongside The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, we’re calling at twenty-six locations across Ireland, showcasing the real stories of people living with the complex, often misunderstood condition, in an effort to encourage empathy and understanding.
Our mission is to destigmatise and demystify dementia by shining a light on the real stories of people living with the condition, and the people who support them as they face daily challenges.
Sadly, conversation surrounding dementia is often cold and distant, framing the condition in strictly medical terms and ignoring the people it affects.
But we’re seeking to challenge that and help people to understand the lived experience of dementia, which affects almost every aspect of a person’s life.
We’ve created a safe space to discuss dementia, where anyone can get information and learn from others’ experiences.
But that’s not all. With our immersive dementia experience, we’re inviting family members to literally gain a better understanding of what it’s like to live with the condition.
We’re very proud to support this campaign.
- Mark McInerney, COO Bluebird Care Ireland
Why We’re Doing the Dementia Roadshow
Dementia is still an incredibly misunderstood condition, with people often relying on depictions of the disease from film and TV, which can be hugely inaccurate.
As with everything we do at Bluebird Care, we’re seeking to place people at the heart of the conversation, sharing their stories and unique experiences to break down barriers and taboos surrounding a condition that affects over 64,000 people in Ireland.
Dementia can be confusing to navigate, filled with medical terms and hearsay, which can be overwhelming for individuals and families alike.
With the dementia roadshow, we’re bringing together care professionals and community health teams to offer guidance and support, with clear signposting to what type of help is available and how people can access it.
From information about signs and symptoms to practical coping tips, we’re setting everything out to help people understand dementia and support themselves and their loved ones.
Like any serious condition, dementia can be an isolating experience, which can harm people’s well-being and quality of life in ways that may not be obvious.
With the dementia roadshow, we’re seeking to bring people together, to let them know they’re far from alone, and that there’s a whole community in their corner.
But we’re not just sharing information, we’re taking it on board, too. As part of the dementia roadshow, we’re eager to hear peoples’ lived experiences, allowing us to better tailor the support we offer on a daily basis.
How We’re Doing It
Simply put, we’re going where the people are.
As we travel across Ireland, we’re raising awareness and bringing education, connecting people with the type of information they may not have access to or seek out on their own.
At every stop on the roadshow, we’re setting up spaces designed to get people talking and sharing their experiences to develop a community and help people to truly understand dementia.
With our virtual dementia tour, we’re inviting people to understand how it feels to live with the condition in an immersive simulation that showcases what dementia could feel like.
If we all understand dementia, we can give people a much better quality of life.
- Stewart Holdaway
Our staff and volunteers are on hand at every stop, ready to offer information and guidance to anyone who needs it. No question is too small.
We don’t want dementia to be a faceless term. We want to highlight the people who live with the condition - capturing and sharing their stories to bring empathy and understanding.
We’re in this together.
