Damian Hinds has pledged to take action to support the 800,000 people living with dementia across the UK.
Damian joined 200 other MPs and representatives from Alzheimer’s Society in Westminster to provide a handwritten statement of the action they will take to support people with dementia and their carers. Damian pledged to hold a Dementia Friends information session in East Hampshire.
Damian Hinds said:
“One in three people over 65 will develop dementia, and it is a health issue that we can no longer afford to ignore. As people in Britain are living longer than generations past, we must do what we can to ensure that society is equipped with the skills to help those who suffer from dementia, and minimise their discomfort.
“Dementia Friends is a great way to get started, and I look forward to meeting with constituents in East Hampshire to discuss what can be done in our area.”
Alzheimer’s Society campaigners were in Westminster to drum up political support for their trailblazing Dementia Friends initiative that launched in February this year.
Dementia Friends aims to help people understand what it might be like to live with dementia and turn that understanding into action. Alzheimer’s Society is aiming to have one million Dementia Friends by 2015, to help make England more dementia-friendly and improve the lives of the 650,000 people currently living with the condition.
During the afternoon, 30 MPs from across England took part in a Dementia Friends session. Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society said:
‘Most people don’t know enough about dementia. Dementia Friends is the perfect opportunity to be able to invite everyone to improve their knowledge. We are pleased to have been able to engage over 130 MPs in one day. They have a huge influence in their local communities and we hope they will use this opportunity to take action and improve lives‘.
If you are interested in becoming a Dementia Friend or helping create more communities that are dementia friendly, go to dementiafriends.org.uk to find your nearest information session or to volunteer as a Dementia Friends Champion.