The Crystal Project celebrated its 10th birthday by announcing its new name ‘North Cork Dementia Alliance’ and launching new social media sites to provide up-to-date information.
North Cork Dementia Alliance (NCDA) is a community-based dementia service led by the HSE North Cork Occupational Therapy department. It involves collaboration between the HSE, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Ballyhoura Rural Services, people with dementia and their families. Supports provided include memory groups, a counselling service, family information sessions, a social club, dementia cafes, Exercising for the Brain, Yoga for Carers and Singing for the Brain. The service is based at the Memory Resource Room in Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre and is registered with the Charity Regulatory Authority.
Sheena Cadoo, Occupational Therapist and NCDA lead said: "We feel this new name feel reflects the collaborative working of the different organisations involved. We also want the social media sites to be a one-stop-shop for people with dementia and their families to be able to get live, up-to-date information on dementia initiatives that are happening all over Cork - regardless of the provider. Thankfully, in recent years, dementia services have really grown in Cork but it can be hard to navigate them and we hope that these sites will help."
Charlie Drake, diagnosed with vascular dementia, said: "I am privileged to be the recipient of the wonderful services this organisation provides for us all. After being diagnosed with dementia, I was referred to the memory resource room at Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre. In October 2019, I started a six-week course on how to organise my daily routines and cope with dementia. I came out of that six-week course feeling 10 feet tall and my outlook had completely changed. I knew then, dementia was not going to beat me."
For more details, see www.ncdementiaalliance.ie; phone 086 787 1818; or email [email protected]
