This article is from page 14 of the 2006-05-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
CLARE Alzheimer’s suffers and their families are set to reap the benefit of €1million worth of funding announced yesterday by the Health Services Executive (HSE). The funding will be channeled towards setting up a regional respite centre to be located in Ballina.
The centre, which will be located at the Watermans Lodge, will act as a regional respite centre for the mid-west area which includes Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. The facility will incorporate 11 short-term respite beds, day care places for 20 patients and as-well-as a “wandering garden”.
“Our objective is to look after the people with Alzheimer’s and their carers in equal proportions. It is a 24 hour, 7 day a week job and often the carers are burned out before the sufferers ever get respite care,” said Ray Keane, Regional Development Officer from Alzheimer’s Ireland.
“The garden will of great benefit to the Alzheimer’s sufferers. People with Alzheimer’s have a tendency to wander and the garden is a safe area for them to wander in.”
The Alzheimer’s Association of Ireland have purchased Watermans Lodge using money raised through their own fund raising efforts as-well-as an earlier €1million donation from the JP McManus Golf Classic.
The €1million received from the HSE will go towards the remaining cost of purchasing the building and its development into a state of the art facility.