This month the Alzheimer’s Society joined forces with local MP Mims Davies as its ‘Dementia Community Roadshow’ pulled in to Eastleigh to provide support to thousands of local people living with dementia, and the people that care for them.
Commenting afterwards, Eastleigh MP Mims Davies said:
“In January of this year it was estimated that 1,663 people are living with dementia in the Eastleigh area.
“The majority of these local people will be being cared for by their husbands, wives, or adult children and relatives. Characteristically, these people will rarely see themselves as carers, and as a result they are the hidden carers that we too often take for granted.
“During my time as Eastleigh’s MP I have been proud to work alongside carers locally and on the national stage to raise awareness of just how significant they are to our communities, and it is initiatives such as the Dementia Community Roadshow that provides invaluable advice and support to these people, and the people they care for.
“That is why I was so pleased to have had the chance to join local Dementia Support Manager, Sara Marsh and some of the amazing Alzheimer’s Society team when they pulled up in Eastleigh this month. Eastleigh has a dedicated Dementia Support Worker, and thanks to the support of the Alzheimer’s Society, there are a number of excellent initiatives that take place in our area to support people with dementia and those who care for them.”
Nick O’Donohue, Alzheimer’s Society Operations Manager for Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands, said:
“Dementia is one of the biggest health and social care challenges of our generation. Yet it continues to be a condition blighted with stigma and lack of understanding. This can mean that people who are worried about dementia in some way, or simply want to find out more may not know where to turn. The Dementia Community Roadshow is the perfect way to get that information and support out to the people who need it. We’re thrilled MP Mims Davies supported the Roadshow.”
Local Figures:
- It is estimate there are 1663 people living with dementia in Eastleigh (Jan 2018)
- Almost 8,500 people are estimated to be living with dementia across West Hampshire CCG (Jan 2018).
Alzheimer’s Society in Eastleigh:
- One dedicated Dementia Support Worker who offers one to one support for people affected by dementia.
- Attendance at sessions raising awareness for carers, people living with dementia, members of the public and professionals.
- Facilitates a group which meets quarterly, bringing together charities and professionals from the statutory sector to discuss how things can be improved for people living with dementia locally.
- Weekly Singing for the Brain group, which is attended by up to 40 people living with dementia, carers and other family members.
National Figures:
- There are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this number is set to rise to 1 million by 2021.
- Over 40,000 younger people (65 years of age and below) currently live with the condition.
- Dementia costs the UK economy £26.3 billion a year – enough to pay every household energy bill in the country for a year.
- Seven out of ten people with dementia are living with another medicial condition or disability.
- Every year, carers, usually spouses or adult children, provide 1.3 billion hours of care for people with dementia, saving the state £11.6 billion.