This week across the country is Dementia Awareness Week. Dementia Awareness Week unites individuals in the workplace and communities to take action to improve the lives of people living with dementia.

Every 3 minutes someone in the UK develops dementia and not just in the elderly as you would expect. Dementia sufferers can feel cut off from community life, lose friendships and feel they are facing the condition alone.

Living with dementia doesn’t mean living a life in isolation. With the help of others, being brought to the nations attention by schemes like the dementia awareness week, people can continue to socialise, travel and take part in their favourite activities.

You can help raise awareness in many ways this week. You could put on your own event and display posters, become a Dementia Friends Champion, who are trained volunteers who deliver information sessions to help encourage people to learn about living with dementia, these sessions could be held at a local school or community centre. You can find out more about becoming a Dementia Friends Champion by visiting dementiafriends.org.uk/champion. You could help fundraise for the Alzheimer’s society, hold a tea party, raffle or quiz, more advice on this can be seen at alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/events-and-fundraising/do-your-own-fundraising

Things to remember when helping in anyway on the awareness week are to make your dementia events, dementia friendly,

• Include people with dementia and have them play an active part.

• Be prepared to adjust your setting to help dementia sufferers feel comfortable in their surroundings.

• Having adequate seating, changing/toilet facilities, natural light and not too noisy are all things to consider to have a successful event.

Read the link to see how you can make your event dementia friendly. alzheimers.org.uk/DAWenvironmenttips