The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) has appointed Cathy Reynolds as its new chair. Reynolds has experience in PR and leadership, and a personal commitment to supporting people living with dementia. Her late father, former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, lived with Alzheimer’s disease for almost a decade, and her mother developed dementia after a stroke.
Reynolds joined the ASI’s advocacy and public affairs committee in 2018 and its board in 2021. She has held a number of senior management roles and served as director at Kennedy PR, as an adviser in communications and public affairs. She holds a BA in economics and politics and a master of business studies (MBS) from UCD.
She is also a member of the Commission on Care for Older People, an independent body tasked with examining the health and social care services for the ageing population, and to make recommendations to the Government for their future development. Reynolds replaces outgoing chair Eugene McCague, who joined the board in 2018 and was chair since 2020.
The number of people with dementia in Ireland will double to over 150,000 by 2045
ASI provides dementia-specific services and support for people living with dementia and their carers. There are 64,000 people with dementia in Ireland, and the number of people with the condition will double to over 150,000 by 2045. There are 11,000 new cases of dementia in Ireland each year, and anyone can get dementia – even people in their thirties.
Dementia is a term used to describe conditions that cause brain changes and damage. Dementia is progressive and currently there is no cure. It is not simply a health issue but a social issue requiring a community response. Most people with dementia live at home in the community. Over 180,000 people in Ireland have been carers for someone with dementia.
