We had the most incredible opportunity with Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service to film with the England Men’s Football Team this March at St George’s Park to help raise awareness of the symptoms of dementia.
Produced by the Alzheimer’s Society and the FA as part of their #SupportTheSupporter campaign, we invited players Kyle Walker, Ivan Toney and Jarrad Branthwaite to put on the Empathy Suit for a film encouraging fans to better understand the physical symptoms of dementia. Made up of 13 components which inhibit mobility, motor skills, vision and hearing, we asked the players to complete a series of tasks while wearing the suit.
“The Empathy Suit can be quite a moving experience, and we saw how surprised the players were to get a sense of some of the challenges people living with dementia often face,” said our CEO Isobel Jones.
“Of course, the most common symptoms of dementia, including memory loss and confusion, are non-physical, but what a lot of people don’t realise is the breadth of symptoms and challenges that can make everyday activities harder than usual. Hopefully this video will help people to be more aware of the symptoms of dementia and encourage people to visit their GP if they are unsure”.
At Alive, we use the Empathy Suit to support carers, giving them the opportunity to walk in the shoes of those the care for, helping them to understand, adapt their practice, and ultimately improve the quality of life of those under their care. Understanding the symptoms and encouraging people to receive an early diagnosis, is so important in helping people living with dementia better access treatment and live as well as they can.
Thank you to the FA and the Alzheimer’s Society for allowing us to be part of the filming process and to Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service for working in partnership with us. What a privilege to be involved and to be able to shine a light on dementia.
