I am delighted to continue to work with the members of Dementia Friendly Petersfield and Alton to support their initiative to increase the awareness and understanding of dementia across East Hampshire, so those affected feel more supported by the businesses and services they rely on. Last year I had the privilege of singing with the Dementia Memory Choir when they visited the Ministry of Justice for an impromptu singalong - see above.
Before my late mother was diagnosed with a form of dementia (fronto-temporal) I thought I knew a lot about the condition. When the diagnosis came I realised how far from the truth that was. More than 26,000 people in Hampshire have a form of dementia, and across the UK a new person develops it every three minutes. Despite its growing prevalence, public understanding of the condition remains poor, which is why the Alzheimer’s Society are running a programme to boost awareness, and also why I decided to get involved.
Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme was set up to tackle the stigma of dementia that can often result in people with the condition experiencing loneliness and social exclusion. The Society aims to create more communities and businesses that are dementia friendly so that people affected feel understood and included. To achieve this aim, volunteer Dementia Friends Champions run information sessions to create Dementia Friends.
Along with many MPs, a few years ago I became a Dementia Friend, which provided me with an invaluable understanding of what it is like to live with dementia and how I can change my own behaviours to support people with the condition. Like the Alzheimer’s Society, I want to make sure more people are given the opportunity to understand the disease.
The annual Dementia Friendly Festival in East Hampshire is taking place on Friday October 4th 2024 at the Festival Hall in Petersfield.
