Help, care and understanding

RESIDENTS, organisations and local services are uniting to make the borough a friendlier place for those with dementia with the launch of the Oldham Dementia Action Alliance.

During the Oldham Dementia Partnership Conference, held yesterday at Chadderton Town Hall, it was explained how a variety of services would be joining together to improve their services for the inclusion of people with dementia.

So far the Alliance has 13 members across a variety of sectors including health, businesses, and charities, as well as Greater Manchester Police, Oldham Council and Oldham Community Leisure.

Respected

The aim is for the partners to work together to create a Dementia Friendly Community where sufferers feel “understood, respected and supported to live independent and fulfilled lives”.

These members have listed more than 30 actions that they can do to make their services better, including training staff to be dementia-friendly, raising awareness of the disease and signposting to the information available.

Currently in Oldham around 2,500 people have dementia with the figure expected to rise by two thirds before 2030.

Oldham is just one of 50 communities in England to have gained recognition from the Alzheimer’s Society as “Working towards a dementia friendly community.”

Dr Keith Jeffery, Oldham CCG’s clinical director for mental health and chair of the Oldham Dementia Partnership said: “This conference is about raising awareness of dementia and what people can do to make those who suffer with dementia feel as comfortable as possible.

“The Oldham Dementia Action Alliance aims to bring together all the services that are on offer.”

For more information about Oldham Dementia Alliance visit www.dementiaaction.org.uk/ and search Oldham.
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