Guest Post Laura McCulloch -You are not alone this dementia awareness week!

It’s all over the news, it’s everywhere and it’s all over families.  Nowadays all of us know someone with dementia.  It may be a relative, friend or a friend of a friend, but as the numbers continue to rise, in one way or another we will all know someone who has suffered from this long term life altering condition.

Let me put it to you another way imagine If every man, woman and child walking through the town centre of Stirling had dementia this would represent the 90,000 people in Scotland living with the condition.  Unfortunately there is no magical cure, it is just something people have to learn to live with and that we have to learn more about.

However between us we can help people live well, whether it be in their community or care home by raising awareness and sharing your collective experience to help others.

Sharing the voice of people with the lived experience is what Health and Social Care Alliance do best and this week marks dementia awareness week, a time to reflect and raise awareness.  That’s why during the week we encourage carers and people living with dementia to share their story to help others and show them that they are not alone.

Tea in the park is just one of the events taking place over this week.  Pop in to the various locations for a cup of tea and a blether.  Let’s tackle the stigma of dementia and get people talking.  More information on the next Tea in the park near you can be found at:

http://www.alzscot.org/news_and_community/news/3285_dementia_awareness_week_2015

Raising awareness this week is myself and our very own Project Engagement Lead Tommy Whitelaw, who will be doing a live webcast for the Scottish Ambulance Service to staff across Scotland on 5^th June 2015 from Glasgow Caledonian University taking me back to my studying days to where it all began for me.

Keep up to date with the week’s activities and what’s going on via Twitter at @alzscot,@dementiacarervo or by searching the hashtag #DAW2015

If you are one of the 90,000 living with or even caring for someone with dementia help and support is available at:

https://dementiacarervoices.wordpress.com/further-help-and-information/

Loneliness and isolation are key themes, we as a team hear too often but if you are reading this you are NOT alone.

Thanks for reading my blog, You can now view my 8 short flims here! http://tommy-on-tour-2011.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/my-mums-name-was-joan-this-is-our-story.html