MP makes pledge in the fight against dementia
Dearne MP John Healey has pledged to take action to support the 800,000 people living with dementia across the UK.
John 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.
John pledged to “back the work of families groups who offer such great support in Rotherham and Barnsley; and press ministers to make better care a higher priority in our NHS.”
He said afterwards: “One in three people over 65 will develop dementia, but the government have cut more than £1.8 billion from local council budgets and this is putting serious strain on care services for older people.”
Alzheimer’s Society campaigners were in Westminsterto 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.
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.