East London News A Force for the community…
DIANE ABBOTT, Shadow Home Secretary and MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has taken a key step towards helping end the stigma surrounding dementia. Earlier this week she became a Dementia Friend.
Diane joined five peers from her team for a Dementia Friends session delivered by the Alzheimer’s Society at the House of Commons. The Dementia Friends initiative was launched in 2013 by Alzheimer’s Society to tackle the lack of understanding around dementia which means that many people with the condition face social exclusion.
Whether people attend a face-to-face Information Session or watch the Society’s online video, Dementia Friends is about learning more about dementia and the small things people can do to make a difference. Ms Abbott enjoyed the interactive session and said:
“Today’s Dementia Friends session has been a real eye-opener. I’ve heard how the condition can impact people with dementia and their carers in different ways. More importantly, we learnt about the actions we can all take to make a difference to these people. From supporting a loved one with dementia symptoms to helping a stranger showing signs of confusion find the right bus – we all have a duty to make our community a warm and welcoming place to live.
“I’m urging everyone to become a Dementia Friend. With a growing number of people living with dementia, it’s more important than ever we all have a better understanding of the condition.”
David Morris, Operations Manager for North East London at the Alzheimer’s Society, delivered the session and explained:
“There are over 72,000 people living with dementia across London and too many are facing it alone. Every day, I’m proud to see our staff, volunteers and supporters tackling the social isolation many of these people face in our community – but we have a long way to go. It’s fantastic to engage with Ms Abbott and her team today. They have a huge influence in the community and we hope they will use this opportunity to take action and improve lives. We need everyone to become a Dementia Friend.”
•Join the Dementia Friends movement today by watching a short online video or attending an Information Session. To learn more, go to:
www.dementiafriends.org.uk
•Read more about it:
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