Building a Dementia Friendly Community Living Well with Dementia
An award-winning initiative which develops and delivers innovative services and supports to people living with dementia and their families in their communities.
The programme is grant aided by the HSE Community Healthcare East and is hosted by Southside Partnership Blackrock. Our vision is of a community that respects, supports and empowers people with dementia, a community in which people with dementia are socially and culturally valued, and where they can actively participate in society in a safe environment. Central to the success of the programme is respect for the dignity, welfare and wellbeing, will and preferences, beliefs and values of each person living with dementia.
LWwD listens to the person with dementia, their primary carers and families, in order to identify, develop and deliver effective supports. We work collaboratively with them and other key stakeholders to ensure that people with a dementia diagnosis are supported to remain living at home and active in their community for as long as possible.
Our guiding principle is to ‘See the Person, Not their Dementia’.
Meet our Team
Mary Spain
Programme Coordinator
Email:
Phone:
Angela Lennon
Administrator & Activities
Email: mspain@livingwellwithdementia.ie
Phone: 087 109 0106
OUR ACTIVITY FACILITATORS
Gerry Noonan
Choral Directory Sweet Memories Choir
Gerry began his vocal training at the Dublin College of Music. Later, he obtained his Diploma in Music, in Performance and Teaching, at the RIAM. Having taken early retirement from secondary teaching, Gerry now teaches Singing and Music Theory in the Leinster School of Music and Drama, Griffith College.
A very experienced performer, Gerry has a wide range of roles to his name in Music Theatre, Operetta and Opera. He also has performed in Oratorio and on the concert platform.
Apart from the LWwD Sweet Memories Choir, Gerry also directs the CCMA Memory Lane Choir and is Choral Director for St. Agnes’ Musical Society, Crumlin.
For more information see his website: www.gerrynoonan.com
Matt Namumczyk
Siel Bleu Exercise Class
Siel Bleu trainer Matt runs the Living Well with Dementia Exercise Class. Matt is a Certified Special Population Specialist and has a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Strength & Conditioning, where he learned all things training and coaching. Matt’s favourite part of working with Siel bleu is having a positive impact on people’s lives, giving them an opportunity to enjoy their hobbies and live their life to the fullest. Our exercise class is tailored to the group and includes elements of mobility, balance, cardiovascular fitness, and strength, with fun games introduced throughout to further work on reaction time, memory, balance, and coordination, and of course, laughing is one of the biggest aspects of the session. www.sielbleu.ie
Robert Connor
Movement to Music
Robert Connor (along with Loretta Yurick) is Co-Artistic Director and founder of Dance Theatre of Ireland. They have created & toured over 33 original works and developed many Outreach programmes including the Well-Dance for Seniors programme and Dancing Well with Parkinson’s and Movement & Music Inclusive of Dementia– offering live and online activities. They have received many Awards as well as being Finalists in the National Lottery Good Cause Awards for 2 yrs. They are founders of the Vintage Youth Ensemble, a Seniors performance group that grew out of the Well-Dance classes. They work with numerous Communities and Day and Nursing Care facilities, including St. Joseph’s Shankill, Shankill Community Care Centre, and through the DLR Cuairt agus Cultúr programme. www.dancetheatreireland.com
Movement & Music Inclusive of Dementia classes are specifically adapted to meet the abilities of participants, focusing on musicality, rhythm, expression, connection, and joy. This 1 hour “do as you are able” activity promotes freedom of movement and creativity, within an atmosphere of exhilarating fun and uplifting music which seamlessly transports participants to a joyful place, whilst improving breathing, balance, fluidity, and strength.
Caroline Hyland
Art Facilitator
Caroline Hyland is an illustrator and art facilitator, with a background in Visual Communications, Art Education and Occupational Therapy.
Caroline facilitates community art groups, including the Living Well with Dementia Art group and with the DoubleTAKE supported arts studio in Tallaght. She has also worked as an art facilitator at the National Centre for Arts and Health, Tallaght University Hospital (TUH). Caroline also creates visual supports for people with an intellectual disability at advocacy committee meetings and is passionate about using her illustrations to help people feel heard and to make information more accessible for all. Caroline began working with Living Well with Dementia as a volunteer in the art and dance classes and this led to facilitating the Friday Art sessions in 2019.
Caroline developed an art project called ‘Can You See What I See?’ that supports living well with Dementia. This toured as an art exhibition for several years around Ireland. She gave artist talks and workshops to a variety of audiences including the International Dementia conference in 2018, on HSE training programs and to Trinity Medical students. Copies of the exhibition were purchased by Trinity College Dublin and Tallaght University Hospital for their permanent collection. In June 2021 Caroline self-published the ‘Can You See What I See?’ book with the aim of reaching more people and to promote awareness and create more supportive communities where a person living with dementia is included and valued. The book is listed as a Healthy Ireland in libraries book and is available to borrow from most local libraries (Library Ref:616.83) or can be purchased from Caroline or LWwD directly. Caroline donated all proceeds from the book to the Living Well with Dementia programme. For more information see Caroline’s website www.carolinehyland.com