Health and Social Care

Campaign urges everyone to help cure the stigma of dementia

March 18, 2015 by Linda White No Comments | Category Uncategorized

Last month a dementia friendly performance at the city’s Festival Theatre marked the launch of a new awareness campaign aimed at tackling the stigma of dementia. The campaign is part of ongoing work by a partnership of the City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian and Alzheimer Scotland to make Edinburgh a dementia friendly city. An audience of 120 people living with dementia and their carers and families attended the performance of A Clean Sweep, a show featuring mime and clowning devised by Plutôt LaVie theatre company. Audience members were then able to meet and chat to the performers who joined then for an informal cream tea after the show.

In November 2013, the city identified the necessity of meeting the needs of an ageing population by approving plans to work towards making Edinburgh a dementia friendly city.

It is estimated there are 7, 688 people with dementia in Edinburgh with numbers expected to increase by 62% over the next 20 years.

The campaign will raise awareness of the issues that affect people with dementia and challenge the stigma attached to the condition. It focuses on the little things that everyone can do to support and encourage people with dementia so that they feel confident enough to continue with day-to-day activities such as shopping and getting out and about.

People face many barriers when they tell others they have dementia. Simple things like being included in the conversation and being asked to take part in social activities like going to the theatre can make a big difference to a person’s quality of life.

Recent research by the Alzheimer’s Society reveals how excluded people with dementia feel. Less than half of those who responded (47%) said they feel part of the community with 35% saying they only go out once a week or less and 10% once a month or less.

The partnership is engaging with retailers, the voluntary sector, health and social care services and arts and leisure venues with a view to working together to make the city a more inviting and inclusive place for people living with dementia.

Find out more about the campaign at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/dementiastigma or join the conversation on Twitter at #dementia6littlethings.

Tags: Arts, Dementia, edinburgh, Friendly

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