Alzheimer Scotland wants you to Challenge Dementia. That’s the message sent out as the charity prepares for Dementia Awareness Week, which runs from Monday, May 30 to Sunday, June 5. Purple events and activities will be held all over Scotland, including right here in Aberdeen.
Dementia is our biggest health and social care challenge. In Scotland there are 90,000 people living with dementia and the number is rising. Around 76% of Scots know someone who has dementia or cares for someone with the condition. That includes over 3,000 people under the age of 65 who have dementia. This illness can’t be ignored; dementia is everyone’s business and action must be taken now to make sure nobody faces it alone.
As part of Dementia Awareness Week, Alzheimer Scotland will be hosting a series of events across the city.
- Throughout the week there will be information points at The ARI, Health Village, Dobbies (Tuesday) and Marks & Spencer, St Nicholas Centre (Wednesday and Thursday).
- On Wednesday, June 1 at 1pm there will be a Dementia Friends awareness session at Aberdeen Football Club for anyone to come along and find out more about dementia and the small ways that you can make a difference in supporting people with the Booking is via the website www.dementiafriendsscotland.org.
- ‘Wear it Purple’ Alzheimer Scotland is asking people to donate £1 on Friday, June 3 to go purple! Whether you’re a business, school, shop, gym or individual, everyone can get involved to help raise awareness, as well as raise vital funds to support people locally affected by dementia. You can either wear something purple or decorate your workplace/school. The charity leaves it to your imagination but they would welcome any photos from the day.
- You can also take part in the ‘Pets in Purple’ photography competition. Just send Alzheimer Scotland an image of your pet posed in purple or next to something purple! Pictures will be judged on Friday, June 3 with a prize for the winning entry of Afternoon Tea for Two at Hilton Doubletree Hotel. All entries, please send to awatt@alzscot.org
Andrea Watt, Community Fundraiser for Alzheimer Scotland, “We would encourage any individual, workplace, school, gym, shop to support us this week by dressing up in purple on Friday, June 3 or attending our open day here at the Dementia Resource Centre on King Street which is developing additional services and classes for people with dementia and their families/carers to attend and enjoy on a regular basis to help people live well with their diagnosis.
"We need you to:
- Challenge yourself learn more about dementia
- Challenge discrimination, isolation and stigma by talking about dementia
- Challenge you, your friends and your colleagues to raise funds for Alzheimer Scotland"
To find out more about Alzheimer Scotland’s Challenge Dementia campaign visit challengedementiascotland.org. The charity would like to hear all your purple party news and challenge dementia updates.
Use hashtag #DAW2016 and #challengedementia and together we can make change happen for the thousands of people living with dementia and their carers.
To find out more, call Andrea Watt, 01224 644077 or email Awatt@alzscot.org