Minister for Older People highlights importance of dementia inclusion on World Alzheimer’s Day
-
From: Department of Health
- Published on: 21 September 2025
- Last updated on: 21 September 2025
September is Alzheimer’s Awareness month, and today, Sunday, 21 September, marks World Alzheimer’s Day. This year’s theme is “Ask About Dementia, Ask about Alzheimer’s”. It provides us with an opportunity to learn more about dementia, understand how we can reduce our risk of developing it, and show understanding and support for family members, neighbours and friends who have been affected by dementia.
World Alzheimer’s Day also gives us an opportunity to learn about the importance of brain health. While not all cases of dementia can be prevented, evidence shows that we can reduce our risk of developing dementia in the future by staying cognitively and socially active, taking moderate exercise, eating a healthy diet and quitting smoking.
Since 2018, the HSE has partnered with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and many national and local organisations and individuals through the Dementia: Understand Together community campaign to improve awareness of dementia, combat stigma, and support the inclusion of people with dementia in their local communities. Over 1,600 dementia champions and 60 national partners have joined the campaign to date, leading dementia-inclusive initiatives at national and local level.
Speaking ahead of World Alzheimer’s Day, Minister for Older People, Kieran O’Donnell said:
“Today, World Alzheimer’s Day, gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we can show solidarity with people with dementia and their families living in our communities
“The Government strongly supports the important work being done through the Dementia: Understand Together campaign to build supportive communities that enable people with dementia to live as independently as possible in their own homes, for as long as possible.”
Minister O’Donnell continued:
“Over the past five budgets, the Government has invested €19 million in new dementia diagnostic services and expanded community-based supports like dementia day care, day care at home and dementia advisers. We have also funded the Alzheimer Society of Ireland to provide activity clubs for people with young onset dementia, who often find it difficult to fit into existing service provision which is directed mainly towards older people. Together with initiatives like Understand Together, these investments are providing meaningful supports for people with dementia and their families, enabling them to live as well and as independently as possible in their own homes and communities.
“The Programme for Government contains specific commitments to enhance dementia services and supports. In May, I was pleased to announce commencement of the implementation of a National Dementia Registry for Ireland. The Registry will provide vital data on many aspects of the care of people with dementia.”
The Minister concluded by saying that:
“Together, with the Minister for Health and the Government, I will work to deliver on our commitments over the lifetime of the Government so that people with dementia have access to earlier diagnosis and the services and supports they need to live well at home, embedded in supportive communities”.