Dementia is a growing health and care issue

MP for Wrexham

Dementia is a growing health and care issue in the UK as the number of people affected by the condition is increasing as the population ages.

There are currently an estimated one million people living with dementia in the UK and this is predicted to rise to 1.4million by 2040.

There are an estimated 540,000 carers of people with dementia in the UK and it is estimated that 1 in 3 of us will care for a person with dementia in our lifetime.

Older people are mainly affected by dementia with the likelihood of developing the condition roughly doubling every five years after the age of 65.

However, some people can develop dementia earlier.

Dementia is an awful condition that doesn’t just cause memory loss, it can change the way you speak, think, feel and behave.

People with dementia can lose interest in their usual activities and may have problems managing their emotions or behaviour.

They may find social situations difficult and lose interest in relationships and socialising.

Other symptoms can include difficulty with daily tasks, language and communication issues, mood changes, difficulty with concentration and confusion.

A couple of weeks ago I attended Wrexham Walk for Dementia, organised by the fantastic team at Dementia Friendly Wrexham.

Dementia Friendly Wrexham is an incredible local organisation that has the aim of making Wrexham an inclusive, dementia-friendly community.

They form part of the North Wales Dementia Friendly Communities scheme that supports businesses, community groups and individuals in becoming dementia-friendly.

They can run information sessions for businesses and community groups that will improve people’s understanding of dementia and it’s effects.

All sessions are interactive and can be tailored to all ages, they can run adapted sessions for primary school children.

Dementia Friendly Wrexham also run a programme of brilliant events throughout each month, designed for people with dementia.

They include art classes, singing sessions, movement exercise classes, coffee mornings and support groups.

There are also sessions aimed at carers.

You can find events here. https://dementiafriendlywrexham.com/events/

I was also lucky enough to attend the Refugee Kindness Celebration at Parciau last week.

Refugee Kindness was set up in 2020 to relieve poverty or financial hardship amongst refugees in North Wales.

They support families by turning houses into homes through their Facebook group which acts as a free marketplace.

They also befriend their beneficiaries, set up events to help people meet other families in the area which reduces isolation and combats mental health issues.

You can find out more about the great work they do here

Over the next few weeks, I will be joining more local organisations at events they have planned across Wrexham. I look forward to learning more about how each organisation works and listening to different perspectives and viewpoints from across Wrexham.

If you have an event coming up or if you want to invite me to learn more about your organisation, please get in contact with me at Andrew.ranger.mp@parliament.uk.