52% of people in the UK know someone who has been diagnosed with a form of dementia.
Dementia is not a natural part of ageing and it doesn’t just affect older people. It‘s caused by diseases of the brain and not only affects memory, but can also affect the way people think, speak, perceive things, feel and behave. However, with the right support and treatment people with dementia can continue to have a good quality of life and carry on doing the things that matter to them most.
Our ambition is for Brighton & Hove to be an age and dementia friendly city. Somewhere that’s a great place for everyone to grow older and where those living with dementia, and their carers are an active part of their city.
This Dementia Action Week (17-23 May 2021) we can all take action to help improve the lives of people affected by dementia and make sure they feel included.
We’re launching our Dementia Friend sessions to help others in the city understand what they can do to make it easier for those in our community with dementia. We are encouraging individuals, organisations and businesses to become more dementia friendly and offering them support to do it.
We’re also supporting local dementia friendly events running during the week and promoting the many organisations that provide support throughout the year.
Councillor Sue Shanks, chair of the Brighton & Hove Health & Wellbeing Board said: “Most of us know someone who is affected in some way by dementia. It may be a friend, a parent or grandparent.
“If more of us understand dementia we can start to make changes to make those in our community with dementia feel safe and included.
“Together with the local Clinical Commissioning Group we’ve signed up to the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Communities initiative to help us make sure we make positive changes towards becoming an age and dementia friendly city.”
Watch Shirley’s experience of living with dementia in Brighton & Hove and see how much of a difference it makes when others in the city have an awareness of dementia.
Brighton & Hove and Metrobus Managing Director Martin Harris said: “We are really pleased to be able to support Brighton & Hove City Council in their mission to make Brighton & Hove an age and dementia friendly city.
“With the help and support of the Alzheimer's Society, we have learned how important it is to ensure our bus services are more age and dementia friendly including fitting lighter floors and by our colleagues becoming dementia friends. Our next-stop audio-visual announcements also provide reassurance for all of our passengers, including those living with dementia.
“'Shirley's Journey' and the lived experiences of people like her travelling on the buses shares with us how vital it is to be a dementia friendly organisation.”
We’re running a series of Dementia Friend information webinars to help raise awareness of dementia and make local services more accessible so that people living with dementia can keep doing the things they enjoy.
Being dementia friendly helps us all to help people to live well with dementia while improving accessibility for the whole community.
Individuals, organisations or businesses can join a free 30-45 minute interactive Dementia Friend webinars on:
To find out more about Dementia Friend webinars or how to make your organisation more dementia friendly email Davina.DeLaszlo@brighton-hove.gov.uk
One hour sessions run by D-Mob and Age UK. Please contact Alex Furber to register: alex.furber@ageukwestsussex.org.uk
Time to Talk Befriending is hosting this discussion in partnership with Nubian Life and Brighton and Sussex Medical School. The session includes insights on delivering successful community initiatives for the African Caribbean and Asian population of Hammersmith and Fulham. To book please email info@tttb.org.uk
Discussion hosted by Switchboard and Alzheimer’s Society. Book your free tickets through Eventbrite.
Maycroft Manor’s Lifestyle Leader, Emily Carver will be running this music session. To book, please email lisa.rose@hallmarkcarehomes.co.uk
Impact and the Hop Stop 50+ are holding one to one chats about joining the Ageing Well service and taster sessions. Please call 01273 729603 or email thehop50@impact-initiatives.org.uk for more information or for help with transport to the Hop.
The 1.5 hour taster sessions include:
Brighton & Hove Music for Connection have also produced a 30 minute music training video for carers of people living with dementia.
If you're worried about your memory, you can get advice and support from the NHS and other organisations across the city.
You can:
Find out more about getting help with Dementia in Brighton & Hove.
