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Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a set of symptoms and behaviours that occur when the brain stops working properly. This results in loss of independent function for that person.
Daily brain exercises may help decrease your risk of developing dementia by building cognitive reserve.
This page will help you to find local services in relation to dementia quickly and efficiently.
If you are living with dementia, this section offers some practical advice on living your life to the full.
Within communities people are taking action, big and small steps that make a difference in the everyday lives of people with dementia. Find out what actions you can take and the supports available.
Businesses or service providers can make a big difference to the quality of life of people with dementia and their families. Find out what actions you can take and the supports available.
A community champion inspires others to make a positive difference to people living with dementia and their families. Find out how you can become a community champion and the supports available.
How to diminish the risk factors and reduce the risk of developing dementia.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) owns and runs the www.understandtogether.iewebsite. The HSE needs to collect and use certain information about you when you use any of the HSE’s online services.
The HSE is committed to protecting your privacy and takes the security of your information very seriously.
The HSE aims to be clear and transparent about the information we collect about you and how we will use that information.
This policy will set out the following:
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is the Data Controller for all personal data which is collected and used by the www.understandtogether.ie website. A Data Controller is the legal entity which determines how and why personal data is collected and used.
The HSE’s headquarters is located at Dr. Steevens Hospital, Steevens Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland
The HSE has appointed a Data Protection Officer to oversee the HSE’s compliance with its data protection obligations. The HSE Data Protection Officer (DPO) can be contacted directly, here: Email address: dpo@hse.ie
Personal data means any information relating to you which allows the HSE to identify you, such as your name & address, contact phone numbers and email address.
Most areas of the www.understandtogether.ie website can be accessed by you without the need for you to provide any of your personal data.
The HSE may collect and use the following personal data about you:
This website uses cookies to enable the HSE to improve its service to you. Cookies are small text files which are downloaded to your computer device when you visit a website. Your web browser (for example, Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Google Chrome etc) then sends these cookies back to the website on each subsequent visit so that they can recognise you and remember things like your preferences. The HSE understandtogether.ie cookie policy is published here
The HSE also uses tracking software to help users monitor users traffic patterns and site usage to help us develop the design and layout of our websites. The tracking software may collect the following technical information about your use of this website:
Any personal data we collect from you on this website will only be used by the HSE for the following purposes:
The HSE will not use the data we collect about you on the www.understandtogether.ie website for any other purposes without first contacting you and seeking your consent
The HSE may use anonymised data from this website for the purposes of analysing, planning and improving the service. This anonymised data will not include any of your personal data
The HSE will only retain your personal data for as long as it is necessary to fulfil the purpose it is being processed for. All personal data collected by the HSE is retained in accordance with the HSE Record Retention Policy. The HSE Record Retention Policy is published on the HSE website at www.hse.ie/eng/services/yourhealthservice/info/dp/recordretpolicy.pdf
When the HSE no longer needs your personal data, they securely delete or destroy your personal data.
Only HSE staff, agents and suppliers who are directly involved with the management of the www.understandtogether.ie website shall have access to your personal data which is collected by this website.
All HSE staff, agents and suppliers which may have access to personal data shall be bound to the HSE via confidentiality agreements and are obliged to keep your personal data secure, and to use it only for the purposes specified by the HSE.
The HSE uses Google Analytics to collect information about your use of this website and part of this information includes your IP address which is considered personal data.
The HSE does not transfer any other personal data about you outside the EEA. If the HSE decides to transfer your personal data outside the EEA they shall ensure the provisions of Chapter V of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are complied with.
Under certain circumstances, by law, you have the right to
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, then please submit a request, to HSE Consumer Affairs at:www.hse.ie/eng/services/yourhealthservice/info/contact/
When submitting a request, the HSE may need information from you to confirm your identity.
Once your identity has been confirmed, the HSE will supply you with your information free of charge, however, we may charge a reasonable fee if believe your request is clearly unfounded, excessive or repetitive.
In the event that you wish to make a complaint about how your personal data is being processed by the HSE, or how your complaint has been handled, you have the right to lodge a complaint directly with the Data Protection supervisory authority and the HSE Data Protection Officer:
Data Protection Supervisory Authority – (www.dataprivacy.ie)
The HSE Data Protection Officer (DPO) can be contacted directly, here:
Deputy Data Protection Officer West
Deputy Data Protection Officer Dublin North-East (excluding voluntaries)
Rosalie Smith-LynchEmail: ddpo.dne@hse.iePhone: 046-9251265 / 049-4377343
Deputy Data Protection Officer Dublin mid-Leinster (excluding voluntaries)
Debbie KeyesEmail: ddpo.dml@hse.iePhone: 057-9357876 / 045-880496
Deputy Data Protection Officer South (excluding voluntaries)
Liam QuirkeEmail: ddpo.south@hse.iePhone: 091-775819