Northwich has taken its first steps towards becoming a dementia friendly town.
The status is awarded by the Alzheimer’s Society to communities where people with dementia are understood, respected and supported, so they can continue to live in the way they want to in the community they choose.
Sally Smith, an independent social worker and dementia ambassador for the Alzheimer's Society, is leading the project.
She is also a member of Weaver Valley Rotary Club, who have agreed to work with her, and to make the project one of their stated aims this year.
Sally said: “The whole focus is to reduce and remove the stigma of a diagnosis of dementia, because people tend to keep it to themselves, and try to manage it themselves.
“But if they know there are shops and services which are dementia friendly, they are the shops they are going to use, because they know people are going to have more understanding and can support them better.”
“There is definitely the will in Northwich to take this further and see what we can do to achieve dementia friendly town status. We are going to make change happen.
“Rotary arranged the first Dementia Action Alliance meeting, which is the very start of dementia friendly town status, just to get everyone concerned in the room together.
“The next meeting takes place on January 18, with the aim is share what we've discovered is available to us, and to start programming dementia friendly sessions for businesses.”
According to NHS figures, 2,901 older people in Cheshire West have a dementia diagnosis, but the number of those living with the condition is estimated to be around 5,000.
Chantelle Day, community fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society in Cheshire and Merseyside, said: “Too many face dementia alone. Sally’s determination, as a dementia ambassador, to help make Northwich a dementia friendly town, will help people affected by the condition to feel understood and included in their community.
“There are more than 510 dementia friendly communities in the UK. They include cities, towns and villages where businesses, groups and individuals work to identify the things they can all do to support people with dementia, to continue contributing to community life and to do the things they enjoy.
“Alzheimer’s Society’s dementia friends team supports Sally as she continues her amazing work.”
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