Sir Michael Parkinson, Fiona Phillips and Gordon Banks to support national ‘A Day to Remember’ campaign, calling for the public not to delay talking about dementia.
A Day to Remember
A new campaign which aims to increase early diagnosis rates for dementia across England by tackling the public’s fears of talking about the condition, has been launched today by the Department of Health with support from Alzheimer’s Society.
The ‘A Day to Remember’ campaign is part of the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia. It will encourage people to have that first ‘difficult conversation’ with a friend or family member when they spot the signs and symptoms of dementia, and encourage them to visit their GP.
New research shows:
- Half of people (50 per cent) say they would find it hard to talk about dementia to a friend or family member they thought might have it;
- A third (33 per cent) say that personal concerns (such as fear of upsetting someone or feeling awkward or anxious) would discourage them from talking about dementia or memory loss with a friend or relative; and
- That nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of people would not be confident telling the difference between the signs of dementia and the normal signs of ageing.
The three-month national campaign, launched on World Alzheimer’s Day, will raise awareness of the condition, what initial signs and symptoms look like and how to seek help. Advice on how to have difficult conversations about the condition will also be available.
Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia
The Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia was launched in March this year and included a commitment to change people’s understanding of the condition. In addition to the £3.2m campaign, the Challenge committed to transform the UK into a leading light of dementia care and research, by driving up diagnosis rates; and increasing investment in research and raising the quality of dementia care.
Prime Minister David Cameron said:
‘Dementia is a devastating disease that puts enormous strain on people and their families.
‘Shockingly, nearly 400,000 people are unaware that they have the condition and so we want to make sure more people know what dementia is and how to spot those tell-tale signs.
‘With the number of sufferers set to rise in the years ahead, I am determined that we go much further and faster on dementia.
‘That’s why I launched a Challenge on Dementia in March, doubling the research budget and working across society to improve health and care, and supporting people to live well with the condition.’
Celebrities lend their support
Sir Michael Parkinson, Fiona Phillips and legendary England goalkeeper Gordon Banks have lent their support to the campaign, by sharing their personal experiences of dementia in a short film, at www.nhs.uk/dementia.
To read this full article please view the original source: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=1330
If Dementia is subject that has touched you or your family (1 in 3 people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime), and would like to become more knowledgeable in this unavoidable condition, take a look at our Dementia course here.
Nick Cooper
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