Living with dementia magazine June 2012

Broadcaster and journalist Angela Rippon has championed the cause of people with dementia in her role as an Alzheimer's Society ambassador. She talks to Luke Bishop about her biggest challenge yet.

Reshaping the attitudes of a nation is no easy task. For Angela Rippon OBE, however, making the UK a place where people with dementia can feel comfortable and safe is worth the time and effort.

Along with our Chief Executive Jeremy Hughes, Angela will lead the development of dementia friendly communities following the Prime Minister's challenge on dementia.

Fascinating process

Angela, whose mother Edna died with dementia in 2009, is passionate about making sure it is better understood and that people who have dementia are accepted by their communities and not stigmatised.

She says,

'What's fascinating about the whole process of creating dementia friendly communities is that it sounds easy but, in the small hours of the morning when I think about the job we are facing, I get the fit of terrors because it is a huge job.

'We're trying to change the mindset of a generation to accept dementia and not be afraid of it, to take away the stigma associated with it. As a result of that we want people to be given information about dementia and how to deal with people with dementia and their carers so that we can maintain their dignity and independence.'

Permeating society

For Angela such change needs to permeate all parts of society in order to be truly effective, but it is possible because dementia has affected so many people. She says this was evident at the first meeting of the Dementia Friendly Communities Champion Group, set up to drive work on the Prime Minister's challenge.

'At our very first group meeting it was fascinating to see representatives from banking, insurance, supermarkets, department stores, social groups, local councils, the fire brigades, the police, city councils - all of these people coming together.

'They were saying, yes, not only are we already thinking along these lines but we are pushing at an open door because it's evident that the staff are already full of people who have an association with dementia in some way.'

Showing the way

She hopes that by 2015 dementia friendly communities will exist across the country and that the UK can be an example for others.

'If we can show the way here in Britain and ensure that people with dementia and their carers can maintain their independence and their dignity - because the rest of society understands the problems that they have and how to deal with them - then that is going to be the most amazing thing.'

Angela has also been vocal on care for people with dementia in hospital. To this end, she helped to launch the Society's Counting the cost report in 2009. She also continues to talk to hospital staff and nursing groups about the importance of dementia awareness.

To find out more about the Prime Minister's challenge, launched the same day as our Dementia 2012 report, visit alzheimers.org.uk/dementia2012.

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