New sporting initiative aimed at 1,068 people living with dementia in Offaly

A new Sporting Memories Handbook has been developed to support local sports organisations in setting up Sporting Memories groups. An initiative of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Sporting Memories groups are intended to provide a forum for people with dementia, families, supporters and friends to reminisce and talk about bygone sporting days as well as encourage participation in physical activity. The booklet, which is supported by the Dementia: Understand Together campaign, aims to help improve the health and well-being of people with dementia, as well as older people in general.

The handbook is part of the wider rollout of the Sporting Memories programme in communities across Ireland. The initiative hopes to inspire and encourage local sporting clubs and organisations to organise regular Sporting Memories groups within their localities. The groups bring people together to reminisce about their lives through the medium of sport, using images, video footage, memorabilia, quizzes, and guest talks to spark memories and encourage social engagement. By using sporting cues, the purpose is to stimulate memory, improve communication and social skills, as well as create a sense of camaraderie and belonging.

The ultimate objective of the programme is to tackle dementia, depression, and loneliness through safe, friendly sessions, led by people with a passion for sport and a desire to help people stay engaged in their communities.

The booklet is a “how-to” guide for the development of Sporting Memories groups, and includes information on dementia, how to set up groups and organise different activities, as well as offering communication tips, ways to create a supportive environment, and details of how to access group resources. By meeting at the local sports grounds, or visiting a clubhouse, groups can help to conjure up fantastic memories of past experiences and events. Physical activity is also a key part of the programme with light exercises built into each session.

There are an estimated 1,068 people living with dementia in OFFALY and each year more than 11,000 people develop the disease across the country – that’s approximately 30 people every day. There are many forms of dementia, with the most common being Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, mixed Alzheimer’s Disease/vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body disease.     

For more information on the Sporting Memories programme, or to access the handbook, visit www.alzheimer.ie or www.understandtogether.ie. To order a copy of the handbook, go to www.healthpromotion.ie

Golden Sporting Moments
Speaking about the publication of the new handbook, Donal Murphy, Operations Project Manager, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, said:
“We know that sport plays a key part in the lives of many people. From GAA to rugby, football to golf, people are immersed in sport from an early age as players, as club members, and as spectators. Sport gives us so much pleasure and often punctuates our lives with golden sporting moments of joy and ecstasy. Allegiance to club, county, and country, gives us a sense of identity that binds us together like nothing else, creating memories that last a lifetime.

“We also know that for people with dementia, remembering past events often comes more readily than recent events. Through this programme, we want to use the power of sport to help bring people together, and to re-establish that connection between people with dementia and the communities in which they live. By wearing the county jersey or team colours, and by using memorabilia such as match programmes, posters, and tickets, we want to be able to trigger exciting memories and take people on a trip down memory lane. With it, we hope to evoke stories of chance encounters with childhood sporting heroes, of flasks of tea and packed sandwiches on match days, of lining the streets to welcome home sporting champions.”

Leaving No one Behind
Fiona Foley, National Coordinator, Dementia: Understand Together in Communities, added:
“The Dementia: Understand Together campaign is all about encouraging people to see the person with dementia for who they are and how, with the appropriate supports, they can live active and fulfilling lives. Human beings are social creatures, and this is no different for people with dementia. They just sometimes need that little bit of extra support to be involved.

“The Sporting Memories programme is a wonderful example of this objective in action. It helps to build social connection by bringing families, friends, neighbours and supporters together. It provides people with an opportunity to keep their brains engaged by revisiting memories of yesteryear. And it offers people the chance to undertake some physical activity too in keeping active. I would really urge sporting clubs across county Offaly to consider signing up for the programme. It will be a genuine demonstration of their commitment to being a club for the entire community and to ensuring that no one gets left behind.”

John McGouran, Community Officer, Shelbourne Football Club, said:

“Shelbourne FC launched its 'Football Memories' programme in June 2021, and with the support of the Community Engagement team of ASI, the Club have delivered a number of events both virtually and in person that have helped people living with dementia to reminisce of great moments in Irish football history.

“The engagement and participation of those in attendance has been a delight to see, and shows the power that sport has to connect with people on their dementia journey.

“Shelbourne FC is looking forward to developing the 'Football Memories' programme further during 2022.”

The development of the Sporting Memories Handbook was inspired by Sporting Heritage, a comprehensive guide for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It has been supported by the Dementia: Understand Together campaign, led by the HSE. The campaign aims to help create communities that actively embrace and include those living with dementia and their families. For support or advice, people can also contact The Alzheimer Society of Ireland on Freefone 1800 341 341 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm).