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Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimers, awareness materials, Bedworth, Carers, community support, Dementia, Dementia Diagnosis, Dementia Friendly Communities, Dementia Friends, Health, health and wellbeing, Living Well with Dementia, Nuneaton, Peer Support, Rugby, Stratford, Warwick, Warwickshire
In Warwickshire, there are estimated to be approximately 7,600 people living with dementia and this is likely to rise to over 11,000 people with dementia in the County in the next ten years. The fact is that most people will be affected in some way by dementia during their lifetimes.
Raising awareness of dementia, creating dementia friendly communities and supporting people to live well with dementia are key aims of Warwickshire’s Living Well with Dementia Strategy (2016-2019). To support people to live well with dementia and to raise awareness and understanding of the condition, Warwickshire County Council and partners are aiming to create 30,000 Dementia Friends across Warwickshire by 2019. Our local target will also contribute to the national target: to create 4 million Dementia Friends in England by 2020.
Dementia Friends aims to change the way people think, act and speak about dementia. The initiative is led nationally by the Alzheimer’s Society and is based on the principle that people with dementia can live well with a little help from other people and there are now over one and a half million Dementia Friends in England. Becoming a Dementia Friend is about understanding a bit more about dementia and the small things that can help people with the condition. You don’t need to already know someone with dementia to become a Dementia Friend.
You can become a Dementia Friend through one of the following ways:
1.Attending an hour long public Dementia Friends Information session. Everyone who attends a session and wants to become a Dementia Friend will get a Dementia Friends badge and information card. You can book a place on a public session by visiting the Dementia Friends website www.dementiafriends.org.uk and searching for a local session.
Or 2. Groups may want to hold a Dementia Friends Information session for their group, perhaps as part of their regular meeting. Sessions last for one hour. If you would like to find out more about arranging a session for a group please email: Keeley Waldron at the Alzheimer’s Society Keeley.Waldron@alzheimers.org.uk
Or 3. Become a Dementia Friend through the digital route – watch a short video on the Dementia Friends’ website www.dementiafriends.org.uk Go to ‘Watch our online video’; Enter your details and watch the video to become a Dementia Friend. Then enter your Warwickshire work or home address to get your FREE Little Book of Friendship and your Dementia Friends badge through the post. It takes just five minutes.
Or 4. Larger organisations can register with Dementia Friends, to access a suite of resources and information aimed at helping members of the organisation understand dementia and how it may affect a person. Registering will also enable you to keep a record of the number of staff who have signed up as a Dementia Friend. You can find out more on the Dementia Friends website www.dementiafriends.org.uk Go to ‘Register your Organisation’.
If you use twitter, please let us know that you have got involved:
@DementiaCandW @WCCPublicHealth
Please show your support by becoming a Dementia Friend.
Coventry and Warwickshire Living Well with Dementia Partnership 