Alzheimer Scotland will stage a screening of their new Fair Dementia Care campaign film ‘Dementia: the true cost’ and locals are being encouraged to attend the event to find out more about the campaign and of the support available locally, for people living with dementia.
STRANRAER: 29 October, 1pm-3pm, from the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Resource Centre, Cromarty House, Sun Street in Stranraer, full details HERE
DUMFRIES: 31 October, 4:30pm-6pm (doors open at 12.30am), from the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Resource Centre, 8 Gordon Street in Dumfries, Full event details HERE
The national dementia charity’s Fair Dementia Care campaign seeks to end the inequalities faced by people living with advanced dementia, their families and carers, in terms of accessing appropriate health care and the disproportionate impact of social care charges.
Dementia is caused by progressive and terminal neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, yet people with advanced dementia do not currently have equality of access to free health care that people with other progressive and life limiting illnesses rightly have. The short documentary film ‘Dementia: the true cost’ explores the experiences of three carers and has been produced in partnership with author and retired journalist, Mike Edwards.
Henry Simmons, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said: “This short documentary demonstrates the harrowing inequality that people with advanced dementia and their carers face.
“It is part of an ongoing campaign to secure cross-party political support in order to bring an end to this injustice. This issue has been hidden within our Health and Social Care system because there is no proper definition of advanced dementia or meaningful recognition of individual changing needs. These needs are clearly health care needs and should be free at the point of delivery. They are not. This means that people with advanced dementia continue to pay for all their care. This is both unfair and unequal and this film highlights how we need to bring this to an end. We’re asking everyone to watch this short documentary film, join our campaign and help bring an end to this inequality.”
Mike, whose mum was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2015, talks candidly about his own experience of becoming a full-time carer, and meets the families and key campaigners who are all calling upon the Scottish Government to work with Alzheimer Scotland, and other partners to, deliver fair dementia care for people with advanced dementia, their families and carers.
Author and retired journalist, Mike Edwards, who presents ‘Dementia: the true cost’, adds: “I have reported on the work of Alzheimer Scotland over the years so when my mum was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2015, it really hit home. This documentary was an important one to produce and I hope that we have done a good job of getting to the heart of the story.
“I’m fortunate that I can look after my mum every day at home, but a lot of people aren’t in the same position and are struggling with the cost of care. I really wanted to help tell their stories in this short documentary.”
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to ssneddon@alzscot.org or call 01776 745123 or 07775 548 724. If you have any questions about dementia call Alzheimer Scotland’s 24-Hour Freephone Dementia Helpline on 0808 808 3000 or visit the website at www.alzscot.org.
Sign up to Fair Dementia Care now at www.alzscot.org/fairdementiacarewww.alzscot.org/fairdementiacare to view the documentary, and show your support for equality. With 10,000 signatures and more, Alzheimer Scotland can build a case to ask all political parties to commit to a manifesto promise for the next Scottish parliamentary elections. Share your story at #FairDementiaCare @AlzScot
With over 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland, and a rising number of people receiving a diagnosis, this is the biggest public health priority. There is currently no effective treatment and no cure. Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Scotland; accounting for 11.3% of all deaths and is the leading cause of death among women.
