We won’t let people with dementia struggle alone

THE Alzheimer’s society has praised Oldham’s drive to create 500 Dementia Friends by the end of the year.

The campaign, promoted by the Evening Chronicle, Oldham Council and Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), aims to improve understanding of dementia and encourage people to take action to support those with the condition.

Emma Cornmell, Dementia Friends regional support officer at the Alzheimer’s Society, is delighted residents, organisations and businesses in the borough are embracing the campaign to help people with dementia live well.

The 33 year old said: “People with dementia want to carry on going about their daily lives and feeling included in their local community, but they sometimes need a helping hand to do so.

“Dementia Friends learn a bit about what it’s like to live with dementia and turn that understanding into action. It could be helping someone to find the right bus or being patient in a supermarket queue if someone with dementia is struggling to pay. Every action counts.”

The Alzheimer’s Society is aiming to have one million Dementia Friends by 2015, to help make England more dementia friendly and improve the lives of the 850,000 people currently living with the condition – including 2,493 in Oldham.