Public Awareness

A key part of Safeguarding Ireland’s work is enhanced public understanding of attitudes, behaviours, circumstances and systems that create vulnerability and require a safeguarding response. In 2017, our initial public awareness work ran over two campaigns the first in June and second in October using print, social and broadcast media. The aim of those campaigns was to stimulate the public, and anyone in a caring role, to think about actions which they may do such as quietly taking some money from an elderly person to cover care expenses, over medicating a person to calm them, locking an older person into a room while out – to highlight that such acts are abuses of people’s liberties and rights.

PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: OCTOBER 15-27, 2018.

Safeguarding Ireland’s most recent Public Awareness campaign was focused on the theme of ‘Planning Ahead’ and took place from October 15-27, 2018.

The campaign was informed by the findings of a new Red C survey which shows that more than half of adults in Ireland did not plan ahead to safeguard their future welfare. The campaign news release included details on how many adults have:

• Legally appointed an Attorney to manage their affairs if they lose capacity
• Discussed place of care should they become seriously ill
• Made a will
• A personal pension
• An understanding of an advance healthcare directive.

Read the campaign NEWS RELEASE here

Read the RED C research here

There was a significant campaign of radio ads across national and local radio during the weeks of October 15 & 22. You can follow Safeguarding Ireland public awareness campaign activity on Twitter @safeguardingire and on Facebook @safeguardingire

Below you can view or download for print the campaign posters, or listen to the radio ads. We are also encouraging the public to be familiar with the Think Ahead Guide and Form, produced by the Forum on the End-of-Life in Ireland.