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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Jennifer Manning, Ursula Paine and Margaret Pollard, Home Instead Senior Care
A new Memory Cafe for people diagnosed with alzheimers and dementia has been launched in Thurles.
The memory cafe, which is the brainchild of Ursula Paine, Margaret Pollard and Jennifer Manning from Dementia Friendly Thurles is aimed at all members of the community who may have concerns about their memory, those who have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s and their carers.
Leading dementia campaigner Kathy Ryan was on hand to help officially launch the cafe which will hold monthly informal meetings with guest speakers and health professionals in the Bookworm Thurles.
Kathy, who was first diagnosed with early-onset dementia at 53 years of age, said it is vital that all aspects of the community become aware of the needs of dementia patients.
First coffee morning for our Memory Cafe was a great success. Thanks to everyone for coming along! @alzheimerssoc pic.twitter.com/QK3g86OsSA
— Bookworm Bookshop (@BookwormThurles) December 5, 2018
“We need to break the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia. The rudeness I have encountered since I was diagnosed is unbelievable at times. If someone is at an ATM or a checkout and takes a little longer than usual don't rush them,” she said.
The memory cafe meet on the first Wednesday of every month from 11am to 12.30pm in the Bookworm on Liberty Square, Thurles. The next memory cafe meeting takes place on January 2, 2019.
“We want Thurles to be a dementia friendly town but that means the entire community needs to come together and ensure people with dementia are given the same respect as everyone else,” Ursula Paine told the Tipperary Star, adding that signage and seating needs significant improvement if Thurles is to receive Dementia Friendly Town status.
Earlier this year Liberty Pharmacy became the first dementia friendly chemist in the town after working closely with Home Instead Senior Care.
The Memory Cafe launched this morning in the lovely Bookworm in Thules. Thanks to Ursula Paine, Margaret pollard and Jennifer Manning from Dementia Friendly Thurles who brought this to life #UnderstandTogether pic.twitter.com/4iyXmOXbGU
— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) December 5, 2018
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