Taking action on dementia
One in three of us born in the UK today will go on to develop dementia in our lifetime and there will be one million people living with the illness by 2025.
Limited treatment is available, but people generally rely on the social care system for support. Services are under great strain and this makes dementia care one of the greatest challenges facing society today.
The Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Action Week (May 17-23) will raise awareness of the many challenges around dementia. The society wants to see a social care system which gives every person with the illness, and every carer, the support they need to stay happy, healthy and independent for as long as possible.
Now the Alzheimer’s Society is calling on carers to support their special week. They are asking carers to:
4 Sign up at alzheimers.org.uk/ DAW to support its calls for an improvement support system
4 Spread the word among friends or colleagues and get them to sign up too and share the campaign video on social media channels
4 Take a stand and urge the Government to transform the social care system by writing to your local MP. You can find out how to do this by visiting alzheimers.org.uk
4 Encourage others to get involved. Download posters and flyers from the Alzheimer’s Society website and encourage people to take a stand and urge the Government to get social care reform at the top of the agenda 4 Join Alzheimer’s Society’s virtual Dementia Hero Awards on May 20 – alzheimers.org.uk/ dementiaheroawards which will celebrate people, groups and organisations which have been outstanding during the pandemic
The society offers a wealth of information on all aspects of caring for someone with dementia or living with dementia.
Among the many books and leaflets available is the Caring for a Person with Dementia booklet, which includes practical advice. The booklet lists early warning signs of dementia:
4 Memory loss – forgetting recent events or planned appointments
4 Problems with planning and organising
4 Struggling with language (repeating things)
4 Becoming confused or losing track of the day or date
■ For more books and guides, visit alzheimers.org.uk/publications, or for help call the society on 0333 150 3456. If you would like to be in touch with other carers, through the society’s Talking Point group, visit alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint, or to find out about help in your area, visit alzheimers.org.uk.dementiadirectory
■ Join the free Yours Carers in Touch group (see p109)