Dementia Strategy for Northern Ireland

Dementia in Northern Ireland 

There are over 20,000 people with dementia in Northern Ireland. People with dementia here are more likely to get a diagnosis than anywhere else in the UK, but there is still a huge amount to do to improve the care and support they get and to create dementia friendly communities.

Building Dementia Friendly Communities in Northern Ireland

Sometimes people need just a little support to go about their daily lives. The Dementia Friendly Communities programme challenges stigma and misconceptions about dementia, increases awareness and understanding in the community and improves access to community facilities for people with dementia. 

Our 20,000 reasons campaign

• The #20000reasons campaign ran right through 2016, focusing on our 5 priorities for action on dementia to be included in the Programme for Government (
• Three out of five of the main political parties in Northern Ireland now have dementia specific commitments in their plans for the current Assembly term
• Our online letter to Michelle O’Neill, Minister for Health, calling for change that improves the lives of people affected by dementia has been signed by over 1500 people and will be delivered to her in January 2017 when we meet.

Pressing for full implementation of the Mental Capacity (NI) Act 2016

It is essential people with dementia are supported to make their own decisions for as long as possible, and that their rights are protected in decisions made on their behalf, when they no longer can. The Mental Capacity (NI) Act passed into law in May 2016 and the Code of Practice is now being developed by the Department of Health.  Alzheimer’s Society is part of this process and the final draft should be ready for public consultation by 2018.  The Act  will support people with dementia to make decisions about their own health, welfare and finance when they have capacity to do so, and will require those responsible for their care to respect those decisions in practice.

What can you do? 

Sign up to press for action on dementia and receive regular updates on our campaigns and easy ways to get involved. You can be part of a movement of thousands of people committed to improving the lives of people affected by dementia.

Every action you take will help raise awareness of dementia and ensure it has a prominent place on the  political agenda.

If you have a personal experience of dementia, and want to make a difference, you can also write directly to your local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), highlighting the need to tackle dementia now. 

How to contact your MLA

• Find the email address of your MLA by visiting the Northern Ireland Assembly website. 
• Write a letter to your MLA at Parliament Buildings, Belfast, BT4 3XX. When writing to politicians, do include your personal experience of dementia