Every week, thousands of people across Ireland take part in parkrun, a free, timed 5km walk, jog, or run supported by volunteers and powered by community spirit. These events are about more than exercise. They foster connection, friendship, and a sense of belonging.
Through a collaboration between parkrun Ireland and the HSE’s Dementia: Understand Together campaign, people living with dementia, and their families and carers will now find these events even more welcoming. The parkrun Dementia Manual was recently launched to provide practical guidance to help volunteers and communities support participants affected by dementia.
The number of people with dementia in Ireland is expected to more than double from over 64,000 today to over 150,000 by 2045. This means that your local parkrun is increasingly likely to involve people living with dementia, whether taking part themselves or supporting someone with dementia.
Speaking at the launch, former Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, praised the initiative for enriching lives and fostering empathy. Jenny Branigan, Territory Manager of parkrun Ireland, highlighted the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels welcome. Dr Seán O’Dowd, HSE Clinical Lead for Dementia Services, noted that staying active and connected is vital and can have lasting impacts on health outcomes.
For healthcare workers, this initiative matters because it strengthens community support, helping people living with dementia and their carers to enjoy the joy, independence, and wellbeing that come from being active, social and outdoors.
Order your free copy of the parkrun Dementia Manual from www.healthpromotion.ie.