In light of #WorldAlzheimersDay, our CEO wrote about the importance of coming together – one of the most vital things we can do.
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three of us born in the UK today will go on to develop the disease, and every three minutes someone is diagnosed with dementia in the UK. These are frightening statistics.
But together, we can improve the lives of those living with dementia. Together, we can create a support network for our army of carers. Together, through research, we can defeat it. We can’t do it alone. It will take a society working as one – in funding, in research, in care – to create a world that isn’t so devasted by this disease.
This year, our ‘Let’s Talk Dementia’ event was a positive example of what partnership work can do. Three small Bristol charities working together to educate, support and shine a light on dementia.
“I learnt so much today, I’ve found some more supportive groups and I didn’t know about all the symptoms either,” one attendee told me.
Our work with the NHS and Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity through our gardens and intergenerational sessions is improving the quality of life and engagements of patients during their stay in hospital. Very often reducing their length of stay and just bringing joy and light into a difficult situation as one lady said: “this has really made me smile today. I love coming off the ward and doing something fun.”
But we can’t do this alone. We need society to talk about dementia more. Everyone’s understanding of dementia has to be improved, so symptoms can be recognised and an early diagnosis sought.
Carers need to be adequately supported and understood to prevent breakdown. Those living with dementia need to be treated with dignity and empathy. We need to ask what people want and need and feel – and not assume we know.
We all need to change our thinking and support those who are living with dementia to lead lives as full as possible.
It’s time to act, and it’s time to ask, but we need to work together.
