Businesses urged to join dementia action alliance

The aim is to bring about a society-wide response to dementia, doing away with any stigma attached to it and the new push coincides with Dementia Action Week (May 20-26).

The DAA encourages and supports local communities and organisations to take practical action to enable people to live well with dementia. Organisations, businesses and groups can sign up as a member by thinking of simple steps to make them more ‘dementia friendly’.

Examples include provision of Dementia Friends awareness sessions for staff, review signage and lighting to make it more accessible and develop policies to help and support people showing signs of dementia, customers or employees.

Support manager Richard Harding from South West Clinical Commissioning Group and Katie Flaherty, the chairman of the local DAA, will be speaking to businesses on May 22 and 24 and explaining benefits of membership including a closer understanding of customer need and enhanced brand reputation. IIt is estimated there are around 64,000 people in the East Midlands living with dementia, with numbers predicted to rise. If businesses are more supportive, people showing signs of dementia may feel more included and willing to come forward for diagnosis.

Richard said: “Lincolnshire has a support service for dementia patients. People can still continue full and varied lives in spite of the diagnosis.

Joining the DAA is free and steps you take do not have to cost anything, but could make a positive difference to someone with dementia.

For further information email Richard Harding at [email protected] or call 07833 048245.