In the lead up to Dementia and Mental Health Awareness Weeks, Eden Housing Association’s Sim Court will be hosting a coffee morning and welcoming retired dementia charity worker Margaret Irving of Penrith.
Before retiring, Margaret was the Business Development Manager for the Alzheimer’s Society. She now voluntarily represents dementia support organisations, and will be speaking about being a dementia friend. In her experience people can be reluctant to open up about the disease, and it is hoped the morning will provide support and information on a health condition that people fear.
Dementia is a term used to describe symptoms such as loss of memory, behaviour changes and problems in reasoning. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for about 60 per cent of cases.
Figures show there are 5,003 people over 65 who have been diagnosed with some form of dementia in the county. People can be fearful of finding the cause of their memory loss, but there are many significant benefits to an early diagnosis of dementia and dementia-related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. There is medication for illnesses such as Alzheimer’s that can actually help slow down the condition, and it can also unlock a lot of support services for the person and their carers, and provide help and advice to enable people to continue to live well, in their own home, for as long as possible
Everyone is welcome at the coffee morning, which will take place between 10 – 11am at Sim Court, Pategill, Penrith on Friday 17 May 2019. For more information, please contact 01768 864385.
- Dementia Action Week 20 – 26 May 2019
- Mental Health Awareness Week 13 – 19 May 2019
