Write a commentThe Alzheimer’s Society Men’s Friendship Group are presently holding a Photographic Exhibition in the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre in Newry.
The exhibition will run until Tuesday the 18th of March during normal Arts Centre opening hours.
Five members of a Men’s Friendship Group organised by the Alzheimer’s Society launched the exhibition last week.
The five men, who are all living with dementia, have worked with Brian Hennessy, a volunteer photographer to depict their ‘good’ days and their ‘bad’ days living with dementia. The exhibition entitled ‘My World’ includes the thoughts and experiences of other people with the condition from across Northern Ireland. There are approximately 3, 465 people living with the condition in the Southern Trust area.
The event is part of the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Communities programme, which challenges stigma and supports people with dementia to continue living independently in their community for as long as possible.
A dementia friendly community is a city, town or village where people with dementia are understood, respected, supported and confident they can contribute to community life.
Opening the exhibition, Councillor Michael Ruane, Mayor of Newry and Mourne congratulated the group on the fascinating exhibition and said “the exhibition shows vividly the wide range of experiences of people living with dementia, both the difficulties but also what they can achieve”.
Speaking on behalf of the group, John McErlane, said “A major problem with this condition is communication. We often find it difficult to tell others of our problems or feelings, wants and needs.
“As a picture is supposed to be worth a thousand words, we have created this photography exhibition as a way to explain how this condition affects us and our carers.”
Heather Lundy, Dementia Friendly Communities Manager for the Alzheimer’s Society, said that the group had three main aims “The men in this friendship group wanted to demonstrate that someone who has been diagnosed with dementia has still got creative abilities but may need a little more help in expressing them. Secondly they wanted to say to those who have dementia diagnosis – don’t give up, or hide yourself away. And lastly the exhibition was a way of saying thank you to all the people who help them on a daily basis”.
You can see the exhibition at the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre from Wednesday 5 March to Tuesday 18 March. The exhibition was made possible with the support of the Community Arts Partnership and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
The members of the group are Brendan Lavery, Tommy Foster, Jack McCready, Seamus Duffy and John McErlane; Brian Hennessy was the volunteer photographer.
If you would like to find out about activities run by the Alzheimer’s Society in the Newry and Mourne area please call on 02830 256057. They also run a National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 1122 or visit alzheimers.org.uk
