Stephen Metcalfe, local MP
for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has recently pledged to take action to
support the 800,000 people living with dementia across the UK.
Mr Metcalfe joined 200
other MPs and representatives from Alzheimer’s Society in Portcullis House,
Westminster to provide a handwritten statement of the action they will take to
support people with dementia and their carers.
The local MP pledged to
work with Alzheimer’s Society to improve support for people with dementia. He
commented: “One in three people over 65 will develop dementia. This is a
frightening statistic which highlights just how many people there are in the UK
suffering from this health problem. We must do more to ensure that dementia
sufferers have access to the help and support that they need and I look forward
to working with the Alzheimer’s Society to ensure that this happens.”
Alzheimer’s Society
campaigners were in Westminster to drum up political support for their
trailblazing Dementia Friends initiative that launched in February this year.
Dementia Friends aims to help people understand what it might be like to live
with dementia and turn that understanding into action. Alzheimer’s Society is
aiming to have one million Dementia Friends by 2015, to help make England more
dementia-friendly and improve the lives of the 650,000 people currently living
with the condition.
During the afternoon, 30
MPs from across England took part in a Dementia Friends session. Jeremy Hughes,
Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Most people don’t know
enough about dementia. Dementia Friends is the perfect opportunity to be able
to invite everyone to improve their knowledge. We are pleased to have been able
to engage over 130 MPs in one day. They have a huge influence in their local
communities and we hope they will use this opportunity to take action and
improve lives.”
If you are interested in
becoming a Dementia Friend or helping create more communities that are dementia
friendly, go to dementiafriends.org.uk to find your nearest information session
or to volunteer as a Dementia Friends Champion.
