Dementia carers recognised by national campaign

The dedication and efforts of those caring for a family member with dementia are to be recognised by a new national awareness campaign.

Charity Dementia UK and leading home care provider SweetTree Home Care Services have joined forces to launch National Dementia Carers Day, an annual awareness day that will recognise and share what it means to be a dementia carer.

National Dementia Carers Day 2014 will fall on Sunday 14 September and is within World Alzheimer’s Month.

The focus will be ‘Creating Special Moments’. Carers will be asked about the unique ways in which they create special moments for a loved with dementia and to share their tips and ideas for helping someone live well with the condition. Members of the public will also be encouraged to create a special moment for a dementia carer they know and to show their support as part of the national day.

Barry Sweetbaum, managing director of SweetTree, explains: “There are a huge number of family members who provide innovative and compassionate support for relatives with dementia. This care often goes unnoticed and unrecognised.

“Not only do these informal dementia carers carry out an incredible job supporting their loved ones but they also hold a wealth of invaluable knowledge which often goes unutilised. National Dementia Carers Day will recognise and share this knowledge, whilst celebrating the positive impact that carers have on the lives of those with dementia.”

There are currently 800,000 people living with dementia in the UK, two thirds of which are living in the community according to The Alzheimer’s Society. With these figures expected to reach 1 million by 2021, the government launched its Dementia Challenge in 2012 with the aim of creating dementia friendly communities and improving health, care and research.

Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse from Dementia UK, said: “Dementia can be a very distressing disease, which places enormous pressure on families. It’s so important that anyone who is caring for a relative with dementia has emotional and psychological support, particularly through periods of transition.

“The national day and Creating Special Moments campaign are designed to inspire community spirit to help build dementia friendly communities – one of the cornerstones of the government’s Dementia Challenge. By highlighting the efforts of these often forgotten carers, sharing their insights and showing that they are not alone, we can start to improve the support they receive.”