Communities across the South Hams are joining forces to support individuals and families affected by dementia.
It is estimated that there are 800,000 people with dementia in the UK. By 2040, it is anticipated that this number will have doubled. As the number of dementia sufferers increases year on year, costs to the economy stand at around £23 billion per year. Whilst life expectancy increases due to improved health and wellbeing, we will see more and more people suffering from this devastating disease and many more families impacted as they watch their loved ones experience the mental and physical decline associated with dementia.
I have long admired the work of the Alzheimer’s Society and particularly their work on promoting ‘Dementia Friends’. By December 2017, there over 2.2 million trained Dementia Friends and over 250 Dementia Friendly Communities across the country and it is hoped that by 2020, an additional 3 million of us will be Dementia Friends.
On Friday, the Four Rivers Dementia Alliance held a conference to promote Dementia Friendly Communities. The Alliance, which represents communities from Ivybridge and the rural communities along the Plym, Yealm, Erme and Avon rivers, is a collaboration of people supporting activities that reduce stigma and improve the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers. I was delighted to be able to join them, hearing stories of the some of the wonderful work being done already, along with sharing the aspirations of the Government who are keen to ensure we provide the care dementia suffers and their families deserve. Seeing the activities which take place across my constituency such as singing groups and walking groups, all of which help enable dementia suffers to live their life to the full, was remarkable.
An aspiration to see South West Devon as a Dementia Friendly Constituency was raised at the conference and this is something I am keen to support. I will continue working with the Alliance to support them in the work they do and hope we might be able to lead the way as a constituency-wide community which advocates for and supports those amongst us with dementia.