Important date for your diary 8th April 2016.
The Fairlands and Normandy Patient Participation Group are hosting an Alzheimer’s and
Dementia event at St Mark’s Church Hall, Normandy, GU3 2DA and you are invited.
Why should you come? In the UK there are 850,000 sufferers of Dementia, 500,000 of
those suffering with Alzheimer’s. I expect in your family or community of friends you know
someone that has been diagnosed with Dementia. So here is a chance for you to learn more
about these terrible diseases that cause Dementia. If you feel Dementia is an old person’s
disease 40,000 people under the age of 65 have been diagnosed with Dementia.
Why is it important that you attend our event? Throughout the afternoon there will be
stalls hosted by people connected in some way with Dementia. In the afternoon there will
be a guest speaker from the Alzheimer’s Society, who will also host a Q & A. Also during the
afternoon there is also the chance you might be filmed, to explain your concerns about
Dementia. This film will be used as a teaching tool for future medics. In the evening we are
hoping to have a geriatrician who specializes in Alzheimer’s who again will give a
presentation.
Here are a few important facts about Dementia:
In the UK 62% of women and 38% of men have Dementia – Dementia is now the leading
cause of death for women.
Dementia is now the most feared condition amongst people over 55 years of age.
Over 1.5 million people (sufferers and carers) would benefit from Dementia treatments.
That is more than the combined populations of Bristol, Manchester, and Sheffield.
Dementia costs the UK economy in excess of £24 billion a year, this is a combination of
health and care costs and the vast contribution made by informal carers.
By 2017 it is predicted that there will not be enough informal carers to look after older
people requiring care.
There are several treatments available to help with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Do you
know what they are - have you heard of cognitive stimulation? Then come and discover
what they are. We need as many people to attend this day to make it successful. Please look
out for posters posted in the surgeries and notices in the local media giving more
detail/timetable about our event. At the moment we are saying 2.00pm to 8.00pm but this
depends on whether we can get a major speaker for the evening.
Frank Clement-Lorford.
Chair. Fairlands and Normandy Patient Participation Group.