Charity welcomes Prime Minister to central office during Dementia Awareness Week

Mr Cameron paid a visit to Alzheimer's Society's National Dementia Helpline to learn about the work of the team and how Tesco funding is enabling the service to extend into the weekend. He then joined a host of representatives from key organisations, including Aviva, Saga and Lloyds Banking Group, who have come together to form a champions group looking at how to make communities more dementia friendly.

The group was set up two months ago when the Prime Minister's challenge on dementia was launched and is chaired by Alzheimer's Society Ambassador Angela Rippon and Alzheimer's Society Chief Executive Jeremy Hughes. In today's meeting they discussed a range of initiatives that members are beginning work on. This included a partnership between the National Citizens Service and the English Community Care Association encouraging students to help people with dementia by volunteering in care homes. The public are also from today being encouraged to have their say on the dementia friendly community programme at www.dementiachallenge.dh.gov.uk before 31 July 2012.

This is the first time a British Prime Minister has visited Alzheimer's Society's offices in St Katharine's Dock, London. It follows on from his appearance at the charity's Dementia 2012 conference held at the Hotel Russell in Russell Square in March.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society, said:

'The Prime Minister's challenge on dementia raised the bar on how the UK is tackling dementia. To have a commitment of this level shows the progress we are making in bringing dementia out of the shadows.'

'It was fitting that Mr Cameron chose to visit Alzheimer's Society during Dementia Awareness Week and we were very proud to showcase the important work our Helpline does in providing invaluable support to people with dementia and carers. Today was also a great opportunity for the champion's group to outline the excellent progress they have made in just two months. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia. From Preston to Plymouth, from the boardroom to bus drivers we all have a role to play in making our communities more dementia friendly.'

The aim of dementia friendly communities is to create a radical shift in community attitudes and people with dementia's quality of life. A dementia friendly community can be a village, town, city or organisation which is seeking to improve the ability of people with dementia to remain independent and have choice and control over their lives. Alzheimer's Society is encouraging organisations and areas of the country which have perhaps never before thought about the need to think about dementia to come forward and be part of the new agenda.

The dementia friendly communities champion group is one of three champion groups set up as part of the Prime Minister's challenge on dementia. The other two groups are focusing on health and care and research. They have all reported back to the Prime Minister this week on their progress over their first two months.

 

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Notes to editors:

 

• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia
• Alzheimer's Society research shows that 800,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In less than ten years a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051
• Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them
• Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Alzheimer's Society supports people to live well with dementia today and funds research to find a cure for tomorrow. We rely on voluntary donations to continue our vital work. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting alzheimers.org.uk
• Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit alzheimers.org.uk