In association with Pavee Point, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland delivered dementia awareness training between October 2010 and February 2011 to over 20 primary health care workers who work with the Traveller Community in the Dublin area.  The primary health care workers are predominantly Traveller women.

The role of the primary health care workers is to improve the health status and quality of life of people living in their community through education and awareness.  The primary health care workers currently work in conjunction with the HSE.  Some of the work that the women do includes:

• Training for health professionals around the health needs of Travellers
• On-site health education sessions for the Traveller community
• Coordinating visits for Travellers to a variety of clinic

There have been a number of anticipated and unanticipated outcomes and benefits from the project:

• An information poster about the signs and symptoms of dementia was produced for use by the primary health care workers for the Traveller Community
• As a result of the training from The Society perspective we understood more about the resources that are needed to improve awareness about dementia in the Traveller Community but also a deeper understanding of the needs of Travellers and the issues they are faced with
• From the Pavee Point perspective, the training dispelled many of the myths and some of the stigma that surrounds dementia for the primary health care workers
• The primary health workers felt more empowered and confident in their ability to educate older Travellers in the areas they work in about the signs and symptoms of dementia and also coping strategies for families of those that have been diagnosed
• The poster was then launched by Minister for Older People, Kathleen Lynch during the Bealtaine Festival thus raising further awareness amongst the community