Launch and Fundraiser for Kildare Dementia Café – Older Voices Kildare & HSE Healthcare Harmonies Choir.

On Thursday 25th May at 5.00pm in Whitewater SC Newbridge the air was filled with melodic harmonies, joy, laughter and fun as the HSE Healthcare Harmonies Choirs joined together with Older Voices Kildare for the fundraiser and launch of Kildare Dementia Café.

The choir entertained the shoppers and valuable donations were received from the community, for this very worthy cause.

The Kildare Dementia Café was launched during the fundraiser and will be held on the last Thursday of every month in Kildare Community Development Centre, home of County Kildare LEADER Partnership and Older Voices Kildare. It will run from 2.30pm – 4.30pm in the afternoon, and the first one will be held this month, Thursday 29th June.

The dementia café is a support for people who are living with dementia and their families. It provides the opportunity for people to share their experiences and get reliable information on dementia care and supports. People living with dementia, their families and friends are all welcome to attend.

The meeting is in a very informal setting, with time allowed for chatting with other attendees and volunteers, and there will always be a short talk by a guest speaker on some aspect of dementia, things that affect everyday life such as: legal issues, nutrition, and how memory affects everyday life.

At its heart, it is a welcoming and inclusive space, in which to access and share information and experiences, and be part of a supportive community, in a warm welcoming environment.

Co-Ordinator of Older Voices Kildare, Caroline Morrin said, ‘Unfortunately, since Covid, the Naas Dementia Café has been unable to reopen and so those living with a dementia and their loved ones have missed the support and camaraderie available at a Café. We are delighted to be launching our new Dementia Café in Kildare Town and hope that it will be a welcoming, enjoyable, and safe space for everyone to have a cuppa, make friends, enjoy a bit of entertainment and get useful information each month.’

To find out more about Older Voices Kildare please visit here: https://www.countykildarelp.ie/programmes/older-voices-kildare/