Alzheimer's Society grant will mean greater inclusiveness

The strategic grant of £215,457 over three years will enable the Society to employ two development officers for its Living with Dementia programme. They will provide day-to-day specialist advice and support to the Society's 265 local groups, branches and regional teams to enable them to work with and involve people with dementia.

Rachel Canning has vascular dementia and is delighted at what this grant will mean for people with dementia.

She said:

'When you find out that you have dementia you have so many questions and concerns. This project will mean that more people with dementia will find local up to date information and sensitive support at the time when they really need it. That's so important when you're trying to find ways of living with this condition.

Meeting other people in the same boat as you is such a necessity as well. It can often feel like its just happening to you, so being able to talk with other people with dementia is so helpful.'

The workers will help branches set up local discussion forums for people with dementia, write and produce materials to enable branches to work with and involve people with dementia, run training events and help people with dementia to participate in local branch activities.

Neil Hunt, Alzheimer's Society chief executive, said;

'Developments in dementia care and treatment over the last few years mean that a growing number of people with dementia are receiving an early diagnosis and have insight into their own condition. Drug treatments have also been developed that can temporarily slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease in some people.

People with dementia have talked about the stigma that comes with a diagnosis of dementia. Not only will this project increase the self-esteem of individuals, it will raise general awareness of the experiences of people who have dementia, demonstrating ways that people can live with their condition and get on with their lives.

By accessing improved services and information at a local level, people with dementia will be supported to find ways to come to terms with their diagnosis, to live with their condition and plan for the future.

They will also have an opportunity to get involved and influence the work of the Alzheimer's Society, locally and nationally. As a membership organisation it is very important that we truly reflect the views and experiences of people living with dementia in the work that we do. This grant will truly bring about positive changes for people with dementia and we are grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for it.'

Since 2000 the Alzheimer's Society has been working strategically to increase the involvement of people with dementia in its work, structures and decision-making, through the Living with Dementia programme.

'People with dementia have participated in the Society in a number of ways, for example, sharing their views, helping us to write information for other people with dementia and to redesign our website, commenting on government legislation, writing articles for our national newsletter and giving talks about their personal experiences,'

said Neil Hunt.

Notes for editors

• Big Lottery Fund is the joint operating name of the New Opportunities Fund and the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under the name of the Community Fund). The Big Lottery Fund, launched on 1 June 2004, is distributing half of all National Lottery good cause funding across the UK.
• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2004.
• Over 750,000 people in the UK have dementia. More than half have Alzheimer's disease.
• Dementia affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80.
• There are 18,500 people in the UK under the age of 65 with dementia.
• For information and advice on Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia call the Alzheimer's Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336.
• Our website address is: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/