The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is set to host its annual Memory Walk on Sunday, September 22nd, at multiple locations across the country, including Tintern Abbey.
This year, over 40 official walk sites will welcome families and friends to participate. The Memory Walks are designed to be family-friendly, accommodating all ages and walking abilities, and aim to unite communities in raising awareness and funds for dementia support services such as daycare, homecare, family carer training, social clubs, cafés, and a national helpline.
Currently, approximately 64,000 individuals in Ireland are living with dementia, a number projected to more than double by 2045. Notably, dementia does not solely affect older adults; one in ten diagnosed individuals in Ireland is under the age of 65. Additionally, around 500,000 people in the country have provided care for someone with dementia.
Verona Murphy, Independent TD for Wexford and a Memory Walk Ambassador for this year, expressed her pride in participating. She emphasized that the Memory Walk serves as a heartfelt tribute to loved ones lost while also recognizing and supporting the many families currently affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s. In County Wexford alone, it is estimated that about 2,500 people live with dementia. Deputy Murphy plans to walk in memory of her mother, Breda, who lived with dementia during the final years of her life.
The TD highlighted the profound impact of dementia on individuals and their families, noting that it significantly alters daily life and can be challenging for loved ones to accept. She stressed the importance of comprehensive support services for caregivers who face emotional, physical, and financial challenges due to the illness.
Concluding her remarks, Deputy Murphy invited everyone to join the Memory Walk at Tintern Abbey on September 22nd at 10 AM.
Participants can meet at the overflow car park just before the Abbey.
Registration is available online at memorywalk.ie for those wishing to receive a participant pack that includes a t-shirt and Forget Me Not flower seeds to plant at home as a lasting memory.
On-site registration will also be available on the day of the event but will not include a participant pack.
