Have a cuppa with Diarmuid Gavin tonight for Alzheimer’s Tea Day

DIARMUID Gavin is hosting an online Tea Party tonight to stand with people with dementia and their family carers to celebrate the first ever Virtual Alzheimer’s Tea Day.

The garden designer, writer and lecturer is hosting an online Mad Hatters-style Alzheimer’s Tea Party in his garden at 7pm, which will be live-streamed via Instagram to his friends, family and followers today to help the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) celebrate their first ever Virtual Alzheimer’s Tea Day which takes place across Ireland today, Thursday.

Diarmuid is hosting the special evening from his home in Co Wicklow (pictured, below) to raise awareness and vital funds for the ASI which was due to host its 26th consecutive Alzheimer’s Tea Day, the charity’s biggest and most important fundraiser, across every town today.

However, the traditional event has been cancelled because of Covid-19 and the need to keep people safe and apart – losing around €500,000 in public generosity.

Diarmuid is encouraging his friends and followers to join from 7pm via Instagram @diarmuidgavin and to wear a hat, take a selfie and take part in a virtual Alzheimer’s Tea Party to remember and show solidarity with people with dementia, their carers and the 500,000 people who are impacted by dementia in Ireland.

Although people can’t gather in groups for Tea Day today, people can still connect and reach out to friends and loved ones across their communities, around Ireland and abroad – on the phone, on screen, Skype, Zoom and any other socially-distanced way people may choose.

This year, it’s more important than ever before that people put the kettle on, pick up the phone and reach out to a loved one or someone in your community to say hello and share a virtual cup of tea and to show people with dementia and carers who are at home, often confused, isolated and struggling without access to usual daily supports that we haven't forgotten them.

Since the Covid-19 public health crisis took hold in Ireland, The ASI has continued to support people with dementia and their families as our Home Care, Dementia Advisers, National Helpline and Online Family Carer Training are all still running. In addition, our National Helpline has expanded to include a new 1:1 Dementia Nurse and Dementia Adviser call-back service and we are implementing new ways of providing ASI supports remotely to our clients and their families such as regular telephone calls and activity packages for people to use in their own homes.

Text TEA to 50300 to donate €4, or visit alzheimer.ie if you would like to make a more substantial donation. From the €4 text, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland will receive a minimum of €3.60.

Please follow The ASI on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheAlzheimerSocietyofIreland

Twitter @alzheimerSocIre Instagram: @alzheimersocirl