Hear Our Voice!

This best practice guidelines document ‘Hear Our Voice!’ was developed by The Irish Dementia Working Group (IDWG), supported by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, and the Centre for Economic and Social Research on Dementia (CESRD) at NUIG.

This ground-breaking document provides practical guidance in a user-friendly format for individuals and organisations that wish to involve people with dementia in their work or gain their views in a formal way.

This publication is unique – it was co-produced by people living with dementia and was written by people living with dementia, not for them.

You can download the document HERE.

The scope of the guidance includes the involvement of people with dementia in activities such as:

• Membership of policy groups, advisory groups and similar committees;
• Involvement of people with dementia in consultation processes, either individually or as members of a group;
• The involvement of people with dementia in meetings and conferences as presenters, panel members or other roles.

The cover image of the document was designed by IDWG member Marguerite Keating. Marguerite used the forget-me-not flower and worker bees; the bees symbolise the members of the IDWG.

The Virtual Launch of Hear Our Voice! Guidelines for involving people with dementia in policy, advisory, consultation and conference activities was launched via live webinar on Friday, June 5th.

Speakers:

• Kathy Ryan, Chair IDWG
• Dr Helen Rochford Brennan Steering Group IDWG, Chair European Working Group of People with Dementia
• Dr Emer Begley, Senior Project Manager, The National Dementia Office
• Mary Cunningham, Supporter of the IDWG and Guidance Document Contributor
• Dr Fiona Keogh, Senior Research Fellow, Centre of Economic and Social Research on Dementia
• Pat McLoughlin, CEO The Alzheimer Society of Ireland

There were over 200 registered for the event.

There are people registered from the following organisations: The National Dementia Office, the HSE, The Disability Federation of Ireland, Nursing Homes Ireland, Dublin City University, University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, County Councils, the Gardai, Age and Opportunity, The National Safeguarding Office, The Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, Local Link, Community Development organisations, Active Retirement Ireland and HIQA. There are also many individual interested parties and some international guests from Notre Dame University, Bradford University and the Dementia Voices Empowerment Project in the UK.

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