Ready to help – members of the Alzheimer’s Society Dorset team outside their office in Poole – from left Yvonne Rogers, Debbie Horlock, Alison Adams and Jo Malyon
Help is on hand for people living with dementia.
More than 40 per cent of people affected by dementia have kept concerns about the condition bottled up, according to a poll carried out by Alzheimer’s Society, which has experts ready to give advice in Dorset.
The poll, which was released to mark Dementia Awareness Week from 18-24 May, also found that over half of respondents (54 per cent) had waited for six months or more after first noticingsymptoms of dementia in themselves or someone close to them before seeking professional help.
Of the 1,043 people surveyed, three quarters (73 per cent) felt that dementia is a difficult subject to talk about. The charity is warning that this reluctance to open up about dementia is contributing to the fact that 52 per cent of the 800,000 people living with the condition in the UK are yet to receive a diagnosis,denying them access to treatment and support. Alzheimer’s Society is urging anyone who is worried themselves or someone close to them may have dementia to reach out for support and advice.
Dementia Awareness Week comes just a fortnight after Public Health England and Alzheimer’s Society launched a star studded advertising campaign featuring celebrities including Lilly Allen, Sir Terry Pratchett and Chris Martin which encouraged people to becomeDementia Friends . The Alzheimer’s Society initiative aims to make everyday life better for people with the condition. People can watch a new online video or attend a face to face session to understand a bit more about what it is like to have dementia and the small things we can all do to make a difference to people’s lives.
In Dementia Awareness Week, Alzheimer’s Society is urging anyone who is concerned about dementia to stop bottling it up and get in touch. It is possible to live well with dementia and there are lots of ways the society can can help.
To find out more about the awareness week go to alzheimers.org.uk/daw2014.
For local help call Dorset Alzheimer’s Society on 01202 716393 or email dorset@alzheimers.org.uk.
For confidential advice, information and support, call 0300 222 11 22. You can also contact the Alzheimer’s Society’s National Dementia Helpline. Email enquiries to helpline@alzheimers.org.uk
