An action group has been set up to help the thousands of people living with dementia in Medway and make the Towns more “dementia friendly”.

The news comes at the start of Dementia Awareness Week which was launched on Sunday.

There are 2,898 people in Medway with different types of dementia, 171 of these are under the age of 65.

A report by Medway’s Health and Well Being Board earlier this year found there were not enough services in the area to support people with the condition and their carers.

The report said there is a shortage of respite services, a lack of options for younger people and a lack of clear information and advice.

Medway Council has been working with Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which
manages healthcare, on plans to redesign specialist services.

The aim is to make it easier for people to get the information, advice and support they need, at the right time, and to help support people to live well with dementia, and to live as independently as they can, for as long as possible.

One of the main objectives is to make Medway a more ‘dementia friendly’ community. To do this, a Dementia Action Alliance has been set up by the Alzheimer’s Society with support from Medway Council and the CCG.

The focus of this group is to raise awareness by creating dementia champions – volunteers who are trained by Alzheimer’s Society to hold information sessions, as well as dementia friends – people who take the time to learn a little bit more about what it’s like to live with dementia and pledge to help in small ways.

The group will be supporting Medway organisations to become “dementia friendly”. The Alzheimer’s Society believes people are often happier if they can live independently in their own homes for longer.

Dementia friendly communities are villages, towns and cities where more people understand dementia, there is less fear and avoidance, and people living with dementia are included and supported.

"There is more to the person than the dementia" - Jackie Swapp, Alzheimer’s Society

Dementia friends sessions are being offered to voluntary and business groups including shops in Medway. Organisations including Scouts, Youth Parliament, Public Health, Medway councillors and officers including Medway Council’s human resources, planning and housing teams will be attending sessions in June.

Medway Dementia Action Alliance will be holding a workshop from 9am to 1pm on Thursday at King Charles Hotel, Brompton Road, Gillingham, to show sufferers what activities they can do, and how to live well with the disease.

Jackie Swapp, operations manager for Alzheimer’s Society in Medway, said: “We’d love to see as many people as possible join us at this event in Gillingham.

“By showing what people with dementia can do we want tackle the many myths and misunderstandings about the condition and get across that life doesn’t end when dementia begins.

“There is more to the person than the dementia and getting out and about and taking part in meaningful activities will help people live well with the condition.”

A question and answer session is being held at Blue Bell Hill village hall, Chatham, tomorrow from 2pm to 4pm. People with dementia will be answering questions about living with the condition.

There are also hour-long information sessions for people to become dementia friends - these are at the Waterman's Arms, High Street, Wouldham, at 7pm tomorrow and St Peter's Parish Centre, Delce Road, Rochester, at 4.30pm on Friday.