Grant Awarded For NI Down's Syndrome Association

A major grant from the Big Lottery Fund has been awarded to a project to support older people with Down’s Syndrome, their parents and their carers.

The Down’s Syndrome Association is just one of five organizations in Northern Ireland which has been awarded grants from the Fund’s £1.3m Reaching Out: Connecting Older People programme.

The Association has been awarded £200,000 to help establish support groups in each county in Northern Ireland.

Donna Lynch, Regional Manager of the Down’s Syndrome Association said: "People with Down’s Syndrome who are aged 40 to 50 are likely to experience health problems which do not affect most people until they are aged 60 to 70. These include the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease, diminishing eyesight and poor hearing.

"The support groups, residential and befriending service will give the adults with Down’s Syndrome the chance to take part in sports, arts and crafts outdoor activities and drama, while their parents or carers will have a chance to take a break and enjoy activities with other carers which could be anything from bowling to having a coffee together."

Geraldine Mulhern, 47 from Belfast has Down’s Syndrome. She lives with her father Gerard, who is 85. Geraldine’s sister, Bernadette Black, said: "Mummy would have been Geraldine’s main carer. Men tended to take a back seat, but mummy passed away six years ago and Geraldine and Daddy live on their own.

"The project will encourage my father to meet up with other carers and Geraldine will love the opportunity to get together with other people her own age. Geraldine has been on some residential weekends with the Down’s Syndrome Association and she really benefits from them. She feels like she is getting away with her friends."

(IT)