‘This year, Dementia Awareness Week is changing to Dementia Action Week (21 to 27 May). Raising awareness and offering support will always be important, but it’s time we all act to make change happen for people affected by dementia.
In the UK, one person develops dementia every three minutes, yet too many people feel excluded and face the disease alone.’ Alzheimer’s Society
That’s why, this Dementia Action Week, the national campaign is asking people to unite and take actions big and small to make a difference to the everyday lives of people with dementia. It could be as simple as being more patient in queues or helping make your business dementia-friendly.
So what can we do in Broadstone? The monthly ‘drop in’ at Broadstone Methodist Church, the weekly Reading Group in Broadstone Library, the monthly Advice Surgery and our ‘Forget Me Not’ Church Services continue to flourish. The Home Safely scheme involving the wearing of safety bracelets is slowly growing but there is an enormous need to raise awareness for potential users and Broadstone Traders and residents.
My personal pledge is to visit every shop in Broadstone with a poster explaining the ‘home safely’ scheme. Can you ask shops whether their staff have undertaken dementia friendly training and ask them to get in contact with me to arrange a short training session? Stepping Stones has attractive stickers for our traders to display that Broadstone is Dementia Friendly – so far only the Post Office, the Library, the Methodist Church, the Harvey Practice, and Coles Miller Solicitors have participated in our scheme.
Are you part of a club or organisation that is able to support existing members within your group? Broadstone Bowls has achieved Dementia Friendly status under our local scheme. Again please contact me if you would like to have a short information session.
For more information on any of the above: please contact Annette Brooke 01202 696523