Housing Trust's bid to raise dementia awareness (From Watford Observer)

Watford Community Housing Trust's bid to raise dementia awareness

2:10pm Saturday 16th March 2013 in News By Frazer Ansell

A dementia awareness day will be held by Watford Community Housing Trust on Monday so local residents can find out more about how to cope with the condition.

The event will take place at Horwood Court, Hillrise Avenue in north Watford and is open to anyone in the community with an interest in understanding or meeting the needs of a person with dementia.

The event will start with a light lunch from 1pm, with presentations from 2pm - 4pm.

Supporters present on the day will include Hertfordshire Partners Dementia Nurses, Alzheimer’s Society and Carers in Herts.

Andre Best, Flexi Support Worker for the Trust said: "People’s awareness and understanding of dementia needs to be improved and the stigma associated with it addressed.

"This event will help to provide relevant information associated with dementia and so people will come away with a better knowledge and understanding of it".

There are currently 850,000 people over the age of 65 years who are living with a dementia in the UK. This is due to increase sharply to 1.4 million people within the next 12 years according to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Although dementia is not age related and the longer we live the more our risk increases. Most of us will live into our 80s and currently one in four people in this age group are receiving a diagnosis of dementia.