Dementia Bus will stop in Kincaig
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Alzheimer Scotland’s Memory Bus is on the road. It will drive into the strath on Friday, September 13 to stage two Dementia Friends information sessions at the Kincraig Community Centre.
The national dementia charity is inviting the community to take part on the day to help increase awareness and change perceptions of dementia.
With over 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland and with few families untouched by the illness, Dementia Friends aims to transform the way the nation acts, thinks and talks about the condition, as well as challenging the stigma of dementia which still exists for thousands of families living with the illness.
The three-week tour of Scotland will visit 11 rural locations throughout the country to help boost the number of Dementia Friends in Scotland to 90,000, one for each person living with the condition.
Members of the public and local businesses are being encouraged to attend the free information session to help Kingussie and district become a dementia-friendly community.
Anne McWhinnie, Alzheimer Scotland’s Dementia Friends programme manager, said: “Getting out on the road with the bus is a new and exciting project for us and is a great way for us to talk to new communities about what it is like to live with dementia and how individual and communities can turn this into a positive action.
“We have over 85,000 Dementia Friends in Scotland who have all committed to reducing the stigma of the illness by making the small but vital changes that will help people with dementia to feel understood and valued in our communities.
"Increasing the 'friends' movement is a crucial step towards building a dementia-friendly Scotland, where nobody should face dementia alone. All are invited to come along and speak to us and learn more. Together, we can make a real difference.”
The initiative aims to give people more insight in to the condition and the everyday challenges people living with dementia face. It demonstrates the small changes that can often make a big difference to people living with dementia such as adapting how you speak, giving clear information, removing some of the challenges that can cause confusion and changing behaviour – such as simply being patient in a queue.
The first Kincraig session runs from 3pm-4pm and the second from 7pm-8pm
It is a free event but booking in advance is required, as spaces are limited at each venue. To book your place at the Kingussie visit www.alzscot.org/dementiafriendstour. Locals are also being encouraged to step onboard the Memory Bus while the national dementia charity is in town, for advice or support from the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Advisor, who will be available throughout the day. No booking is necessary.
If you can’t make it to the Kingussie, why not become a dementia friend online today, at www.dementiafriendsscotland.org and join the thousands of Scots making a difference to the lives of people living with dementia.
