Edinburgh’s biggest ever Dementia Awareness week was brought back to earth with a bump with a charity abseil down the Forth Bridge yesterday. It was a dramatic end to a week organised to encourage people to talk about dementia in a bid to dispel myths and to help those who are affected.
A wide range of awareness-raising events were held at a range of venues all across the city last week. These included: Currie Rugby Club at Balerno Gala Day, St James Centre, Drumbrae Hub, Royal Infirmary Hospital, Queensferry Library, Morningside Library, Barnton Pharmacy, Liberton Hospital, Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre’s Living Memories Shop Unit, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre Currie Library CommunityRoom, The Mill at St Joseph’s Balerno and Portobello Farmers Market.
On Monday there was a Café and meeting place with information and advice for people with dementia and their carers from dementia advisors at Cramond Kirk Hall and Barnton & Cramond Dementia Friendly community forum held an information meeting on Tuesday.
Social media was also used to raise awareness. A blog, Let’s talk about Dementia (#AHPDementia), hosted different themes each day, with an opportunity for visitors to post questions to a range of experts including occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and dieticians.
Dementia Week event organisers were also asked to use #dementia6littlethings on Twitter, and by liking and sharing messages posted on Facebook by the Council.
Reflecting on a busy week, a spoksesperson for Alzheimers Scotland said: “Phew! Seven days of celebration, awareness raising, conversation, fundraising and support. Thanks so much to everyone who has been a part of Dementia Awareness Week!
“Your stories, you kindness and enthusiasm have made for a fantastic week. Your passion has helped make Scotland a better place for people with dementia, their families and carers.”
So all in all it was a very successful week, but the work doesn’t stop there. The number of people who have the illness is set to double over the next 20 years, and there’s an ongoing drive to make Edinburgh a dementia friendly city by a partnership of the city of Edinburgh Council, Alzheimer Scotland and NHS Lothian.
The group launched the “6 little things” campaign in February, which tells people how to cure the stigma of dementia by knowing six simple facts.
Speaking before the lauch of dementia awareness week, Councillor Ricky Henderson, Health, Social Care and Housing Convener, said: “The awareness week is the ideal opportunity for us all to get involved in conversations about the illness. While it’s great that we’re living longer, this is leading to increasing numbers of people experiencing dementia. Let’s get conversations going with loved ones about dementia and together we can beat the stigma and also support those who have it.”
The conversations have started – now let’s keep talking!
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