Alzheimer's Society invites Devon to 'join the conversation on dementia'
There are 800,000 people with dementia in the UK, and this number is set to rise to one million by 2021. So, it’s not surprising that so many people are worried about it. In fact, people over 55 now fear dementia more than any other disease, including cancer.
This Dementia Awareness Week™ the Alzheimer's Society wants to get as many people as possible talking about dementia, as the more we talk about it, the more we’ll know, and the more prepared we’ll be to face it.
Ruth Jones, is supporting Alzheimer’s Society for the first time by fronting Dementia Awareness Week™, which runs from 19 to 25 May 2013. She features in a special video about the importance of talking about dementia.
Alzheimer's Society in Devon is encouraging people to get talking about dementia during Dementia Awareness Week. All are welcome to the Devon Dementia Support Service awareness-raising events across Devon:
- For all of Dementia Awareness Week there will be opportunity to speak to trained Dementia advisors and receive information about Dementia on the first floor of the Devon Dementia Support Service office in Harrier Way, between 12noon and 2pm. The address is Forde House, Park Five, Harrier Way, Sowton Industrial Estate, Exeter, EX2 7HU.
- On Monday 20 May, there will be an information stand in the main foyer at Tavistock Hospital and an Alzheimer's Society representative will be there to answer queries in the morning from 9.45am to 12pm.
- On Tuesday 21 May, the Devon Dementia Support Service is supporting a Dementia Community Voluntary Service Conference at the Watermark in Ivybridge from 9.30am to 1pm. Dementia Support Advisors will be on hand to offer information and advice on dementia-related queries. In Ashburton Surgery, there will be a dementia information stand manned from 10-12pm and at Ashburton Hospital from 1pm-3.30pm by a Dementia Support Worker to answer any dementia-related questions.
- On Wednesday 22 May, the Devon Dementia Support Service will be holding events across Devon in an attempt to get all of Devon talking about dementia on the same day. As part of this, Dartington Hall staff will be accessing trained Alzheimer's Society staff who will be offering dementia-related advice. There will also be Dementia Awareness talks held at Okehampton College by Dememtia Support Workers.
- On Thursday 23 May, there will be an information stall at Ivybridge library, the Watermark, Ivybridge from 10am-4pm. Dementia Support workers will be available to give advice and information about how to live well with dementia.
- On Friday 24 May, there is a Dartmouth Dementia Awareness Day from 10am to 3.30pm at the Flavel Theatre in Dartmouth where speakers from the Alzheimer's Society will be tackling the topic of creating Dementia-friendly communties. In Kingsbridge Library from 10am to 12noon there will be an information stall with a Dementia Support Worker available to answer your questions. In Totnes Lloyds TSB are supporting Demnetia Awareness Week by holding a Tea Party, where an Alzheimer's Society Dementia Support Worker will be on hand for any queries from 2pm to 4pm. there is also a Dementia Awareness Day - Free Seminar, being held at Exbourne Village Hall with talks form 10am to 4pm.
Sam Cross, Support Services Manager for Alzheimer's Society said: "As the population ages, we all face the risk of one day developing dementia. The more we know about the condition, the more prepared we'll be to face it. These events are a great opportunity to find out more, talk to us and join the conversation that everyone's talking about"
Registration is also now open for this year's Plymouth Memory Walk, which will set off from the historic Plymouth Hoe on Sunday 8 September. You can choose from a 2km accessible route with beautiful scenery of Plymouth Sound, or a more challenging 10km with a route around Royal William Yard and the Barbican. Memory Walks bring communities together to remember loved ones affected by dementia and raise money for Alzheimer's Society services. Plymouth Memory Walk promises to be a woncderful day, with activities and entertainment on the Hoe for all the family to enjoy. To take part, register at www.memorywalk.org.uk/Plymouth or call 0845 3060 989.
Would you like to volunteer for Plymoth Memory Walk? The Alzheimer's Society is looking for people with:
- Promoting the walk
- Setting up on the day
- Registering walkers
- Manning stalls
- Co-ordinating activities
- Marshalling the route
Alternatively, the Torbay Memory Walk will take place in Cockington Court within Cockington Village, which is just a mile away from Torquay seafront, on 29 September . Cockington is a beautiful little village with tea rooms, a pub and craft shops at Cockington Court itself.
Both routes will take you to and from the Gatekeeper's cottage, through Cockington Court country park. Walk 1 will take a slightly extended route as it passes the Gatekeeper's cottage, down the sloped steps by the pond before joining back to walk 2's route. Walk 2 is a wheelchair accessible option avoiding any stepped paths and passes through the beautiful landscape of Cockington Court. The event day will provide entertainment for all ages and includes live music, face painting, a cake sale and a tombola, providing a fun filled family day out.
Alzheimer's Society has a range of services to support people with dementia and their carers in Devon. For information and support on dementia, more details about one of its services or to find out more about becoming a volunteer befriender, please contact the Devon Dementia Support Service on 0300 123 2029 devon@alzheimers.org.uk
