The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (The ASI) and Mahon Point Shopping Centre officially launched the first dementia-inclusive shopping centre in Ireland on Tuesday morning. Pictured L to R: Cathryn O’Leary, Siobhan O’Connor, Karen Fitzpatrick, Patricia Daly, Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, General manager at Mahon Point, Justin Young, Breda Twohig and Mairéad Dillon.: Cork, 14/11/23: Picture by Chani Anderson
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (The ASI) and Mahon Point Shopping Centre will officially opened the first dementia-inclusive shopping centre in Ireland on November 14th. On November 14th and 15th, The management, staff of Mahon Point, and the Retail staff across the stores in the Centre will partake in Dementia-Inclusive Training provided by The ASI. This training will allow Mahon Point to provide a welcoming and positive shopping environment to people living with dementia and their families. Mahon Point will be the first Shopping Centre in Ireland to be awarded the Dementia Inclusive Community Friends of ASI accreditation and display the emblem.
Topics included in the Dementia Inclusive Training include What is Dementia? Signs and Symptoms, Communication, and Creating a Dementia Inclusive Community.
Justin Young, General Manager at Mahon Point, said: “Mahon Point Shopping Centre is delighted to partner with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, as we plan to become Ireland’s first Dementia-friendly shopping centre. Together with our retail stores, we aim to create a space where every individual can navigate with ease and dignity, ensuring inclusivity for all.”
Head of Operations at The ASI, Siobhan O’Connor, said: “This is a huge step forward in our quest to create a dementia-inclusive shopping centre; we’re so grateful to the Mahon Point Management Team and its tenants for taking the brave steps to become the first of its kind in Ireland. We hope that more centres will follow their shining example and join Mahon Point to create an Ireland where people with dementia and their families can carry out their daily lives securely.”
An estimated 7,509 people live with dementia in Cork, and more than 11,000 people develop the disease annually – at least 30 people daily.
For more information about the Friends of ASI initiative, please contact friendsofasi@
For more information about The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and its services, visit alzheimer.ie.
