Living with dementia magazine December 2012/January 2013

The commitment of our supporters has made a real impact over the last year. Campaigns Officer Chris Kirby reports on some of your successes and plans for work that will be coming up.

As 2013 begins we want to thank all of our supporters for their hard work and dedication. With your help, two of our main awareness raising campaigns continued to spread the word about dementia and we were able to keep lobbying the government for real change.

The Worried about your memory? campaign aims to improve diagnosis rates. Through this campaign, 500,000 leaflets have been distributed to GP surgeries around the country and we've had 14,000 requests for booklets and further information.

Our Dementia Community Roadshow provides easy access to support and information. It has reached 31,000 people, including 7,000 people who have come on board the vehicle for a personal appointment.

In addition to numerous Tesco supermarkets across the UK, the roadshow visited Battersea Park Memory Walk, Singleton Hospital in South Wales, Swansea City Centre and Ystradgynlais Welfare Hall. We are also looking for suggestions for other places for the roadshow to call on in the coming year.

In March, Alzheimer's Society volunteers from all over the country came to Westminster to lobby their MPs for a fairer system of providing care. Joining forces with more than 50 other charities, more than 1,000 older and disabled campaigners lobbied their MPs.

Dementia Friends

Our new Dementia Friends initiative aims to make everyday life better for people with dementia by changing the way the nation thinks, talks and acts. By 2015, we want there to be 1 million people with the know-how to help people with dementia to feel understood and included in their community.

We'll keep you informed about this project in the new year, but you can be the first to hear all the exciting developments by signing up online today.

Care home quality

One of our campaigns in the new year aims to improve the quality of care that people receive in care homes. This will be supported by a new report with evidence about quality of care and a new guide with advice on choosing a care home.

An updated version of the Society's This is me document that is more specifically suited to people living in care homes will also be launched. It helps to remind care professionals to see the person behind their condition.

Our care homes campaign has the potential to significantly improve the care that people with dementia receive and as always, our supporters will be crucial in spreading the word and raising awareness about the campaign.

Sign up to our Campaigners' Network to be kept up-to-date with quick and meaningful things you can do to help, such as writing to your local MP.

Our local campaign groups influence local decision makers and elected representatives – for more information please email campaignersnetwork@alzheimers.org.uk

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