Work starts on new Western Alzheimers facility after 'extraordinary' €2.5m donation
The first brick has been laid today on a €4.684 million development that will dramatically enhance facilities at the Western Alzheimers Respite Centre in Ballindine, enabling people living with dementia to continue living at home.
A generous philanthropic donation from The Joe & Helen O’Toole Charitable Trust (Tuam) played a key role in ensuring that this major development could progress.
The purpose-built complex will increase the available beds at the centre from 12 to 20, as well as providing improved communal resident and visitor areas.
“A central tenet of our mission is to support people living with dementia, and their families, so that they can continue to live at home and to lead meaningful lives in the community in line with the National Dementia Strategy.
"The addition of eight beds will have an enormous impact on the number of people we can support,” said Pat McHugh, chairperson, Western Alzheimers.
“Apart from the residential respite services we provide in Ballindine, we also offer long-stay specialised care, support and advisory services; in-home support; and day care services in counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.
"Over 6,000 people live with dementia in the region and these figures are set to double over the next 20 years.
“We are indebted to The Joe & Helen O’Toole Charitable Trust (Tuam) which has contributed €2,571m which ensured that we could proceed with the project without any delays. It is an extraordinary donation.”
The trust honours the memory of well-known Tuam, Co. Galway, business couple Joe and Helen O’Toole. Helen and Joe passed away in 2013 and 2019 respectively. Funds have been allocated to charities and causes that were close to the couple’s hearts.
“Joe and Helen believed in supporting worthy causes locally, and they were fully behind the work of Western Alzheimers,” said trustee Mary Lardner, CEO, O’Toole’s SuperValu.
“They supported the organisation in a variety of ways as they saw the invaluable support it provided to families living with dementia in the west of Ireland. Marian House – The Joe & Helen O’Toole Respite Centre is a fantastic facility for families in the three counties and the trust is delighted to have the opportunity to support Western Alzheimers in bringing this project to fruition.”
Pat Holmes, CEO, Western Alzheimers, outlined that the new development will increase capacity from 588 weeks of residential respite care to 980 weeks.
The new building will also comply with the latest standards for residential care settings.
He expressed his deep gratitude to The Joe & Helen O’Toole Charitable Trust (Tuam).
“I also acknowledge the support of Breda Crehan Roche, HSE Chief Officer, CHO2; Shannon Glynn, HSE Head of Older People Services, CHO2; and Miriam McGuinness, HSE Home Support Manager, CHO2. Additionally, I acknowledge the excellent care provided by Pam Dalton, Person in Charge, and her team in Marian House.”
Joe O’Toole’s career in the retail industry began in the 1940s when assisting his father in a travelling shop that serviced the region around Headford, Co. Galway. In 1967 he branched out on his own with a small shop on Bishop Street, Tuam.
From those humble beginnings, the business developed to the point where the enterprise is now one of the biggest employers in Tuam, with some 170 fulltime and part-time staff working in the SuperValu store, the Palace Restaurant and an adjoining department / homeware store.
Firm believers in reinvesting their profits in the locality, the O’Toole’s donated significant sums to community, sporting, cultural and spiritual projects during their lifetimes.
Ms Lardner today performed the laying of the first brick ceremony, and it is expected that the unit will become operational by September 2023. The design team for the project is Taylor McCarney Architects and Tuam-based construction company Loumoy will carry out the contract.