Members of the Irish Dementia Working Group (IDWG) took part in a “Rights Made Real” training during November. This programme is designed to empower people living with dementia to understand their human rights and make those rights real and applicable in everyday life.
The IDWG is a group of people living with dementia who work to raise awareness of issues affecting people with dementia in Ireland and to drive real change. The group is supported and resourced by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (The ASI) and supported by Saoirse Kelly, Advocacy, Engagement and Participation Officer at The ASI.
It was an informative and engaging day, with participants actively sharing different perspectives and experiences. A key point of discussion was the Decision Making (Capacity) Act in Ireland, exploring what it means in practice and how it supports autonomy and choice for people living with dementia. The discussions and insights shared will help ensure that rights are not just understood but actively upheld in the lives of people living with dementia.
Another key event took place in December, focusing on human rights in dementia care, with The ASI launching “Human Rights in Dementia Care: A Good Practice Guide” at Trinity College, Dublin. This groundbreaking guide is aimed at health and social care professionals as well as family carers. It promotes a rights-based approach to dementia care – encouraging us to see people living with dementia not only as patients, but as rights holders and active participants in their own care. The publication demonstrates how human rights principles can be applied throughout the dementia journey, from diagnosis to end-of-life, using practical models and insights grounded in lived experience.
The launch event featured a dynamic panel discussion on dementia and human rights, introduced by Professor Virpi Timonen and chaired by Professor Eamon O’Shea. Contributors included authors Professor Suzanne Cahill, Helen Rochford-Brennan, Fiona Kelly, and ASI CEO Andy Heffernan. This guide marks an important step toward embedding dignity, autonomy, and equality in dementia care across Ireland and beyond.
