Engaging Dementia

03/09/2026

The Donnybrook Dementia Café have a wonderful series of talks coming up this Autumn, as well as music, chat and of course cake too!

Thursday September 10th - Colours of Autumn with Joyce Fitzpatrick

Thursday October 8th - Assisted Decision Making with Muriel Moore

Thursday November 12th - Communication and Dementia with Dr. Suzanna Dooley

The cafe takes place on the Second Thursday of every month 7-9pm in Avila Centre Donnybrook, Bloomfield Avenue, (off Morehampton Rd), Donnybrook, Dublin 4. Eircode - D04 YF66.

01/09/2026

September is World Alzheimer's Month. This years theme is "The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters".

It is a good opportunity to understand more about dementia, how you can reduce your risk of developing it, and to consider how you might be able to show understanding and support for family members, neighbours and friends who have been affected.

For information booklets and resources visit: www.healthpromotion.ie

01/09/2026

Our Dementia Training Courses this September:

𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆: 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝟭𝟱𝘁𝗵

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 –
𝗔 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀:
Online: Thursday Sept 24th & Friday Nov 27th

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲
Dublin: Starts Friday Sept 18th
Cork: Starts Friday Oct 9th
Galway: Starts Friday Oct 16th

𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹
Online, Friday Sept 25th

For more information email [email protected] or call 012608138.

27/08/2026

💜 NEW Co. Clare DEMENTIA CAFE ALERT! 💜

We’re delighted to welcome a new Dementia Cafe to the Irish Dementia Cafe Network!

📍 Shannon Family Resource Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare

The cafe provides a warm and welcoming space for people living with dementia, families and carers to connect, chat, share experiences and enjoy time together.

📅 Upcoming dates:
• Monday 14th September
• Monday 5th October
• Monday 2nd November
• Monday 7th December

If you’re in the Shannon area, come along and spread the word throughout the county! 💜

📧 [email protected]
📞 086 362 9790 for more information.

25/08/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗺𝘂𝘀+ 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 that aims to promote a dementia-friendly society by training volunteers, (in)formal carers, artists and cultural stakeholders to make cultural institutions more accommodating for people with dementia. The project will develop educational materials to raise awareness and equip individuals with the necessary skills for creating dementia-friendly cultural spaces.

This report presents the findings of desk research and interviews conducted in Ireland as part of the Memorable Project. The research portrayed in this report aimed to assess the landscape of dementia-friendly cultural practices, identifying existing initiatives, and analysing the educational needs of people with dementia, their family members, cultural workers, volunteers, and other stakeholders.

You can view the full report here:
https://memorable-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Memorable-National-Report-Ireland-vf.pdf

24/08/2026

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗢𝗪 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗙𝗘 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧! 💜

We’re delighted to welcome a new Dementia Cafe to the Irish Dementia Cafe Network!

📍 Leighlinbridge Parish Centre, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow
📅 2nd Friday of every month
⏰ 11am–12.30pm

The cafe offers a welcoming and friendly space for people living with dementia, their families and carers to connect, chat, share experiences and enjoy time together. The next cafe takes place on Friday Sept 11th.

If you’re in the Leighlinbridge area or based in Co. Carlow, come along and spread the word! 💜

📧 [email protected]
📞 Margaret: 087 957 4606 for further information.

21/08/2026

Great to see the Gardening Together Booklet which we developed with Dementia: Understand Together being used as part of Nursing Home Week's 'Flower Power Friday'.

Enjoy the sunshine wherever you are gardening today!

You can order your free copy here https://www.healthpromotion.ie/products/garden-together

Sensory and Reminiscence Gardening and Horticulture for people with Dementia

21/08/2026

Our August Newsletter has been published.

Inside, you’ll find our tribute to our founder St. Mary Threadgold, details of our upcoming dementia training courses, information on some new dementia cafes and new dementia research.

If you are not on our newsletter mailing list, email [email protected] and ask to be added. We’d love to keep in touch and share our latest news with you.

You can also view the Newsletter on our website here: https://engagingdementia.ie/august-newsletter/

21/08/2026

There was a lovely tribute to Sr. Mary on 'What it says in the Papers' on RTE Radio 1 yesterday morning.

"And one of the most uplifting stories of the day relates to the death of a nun. The Examiner reports that Sr. Mary Threadgold has died aged 87. The paper tells us that she developed a system for people working with dementia that's now used worldwide.....".

Listen to the full tribute here:
https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/9d4757bd-ef9d-49c6-80b2-b4ac008dad3c/

19/08/2026

Funeral Details for Sr. Mary the founder of our organisation, for those wishing to pay their respects: https://rip.ie/death-notice/sr-mary-threadgold-dublin-639561

Threadgold, Sr. Mary, Religious Sisters of Charity – 17th August 2026. In the loving care of the staff of McAuley House Nursing Home. Pre-deceased by her parents, John and Maureen, and her brother Fr. Jerry.

Deeply regretted by her Community in Lakelands, the Sisters of the Congregation, her relatives and many friends.

Reposing on Friday, 21st August, from 2pm to 4pm in Corrigan & Sons Funeral Home, 5 Lower Camden Street, D02 DF22. Prayers at 3.30pm.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, 22nd August, at 11.00 am in St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Parish Church, Sandymount , followed by burial in the community cemetery, Donnybrook.