Salford is using this week’s national Dementia Awareness Week to highlight the leading role it will play over the next five years to revolutionise the experiences of people affected by dementia in Greater Manchester.
According to the latest figures approximately 2,250 people in Salford are living with the condition.
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Improving dementia care and support has been identified as a key part of the devolution agreement, which gives more powers to City Regions like Greater Manchester.
Health reps from Salford will play a role in Dementia United, a scheme which aims by 2020 to make Greater Manchester the best place in the world for people with dementia and their carers to live.
Dementia initiatives already underway in Salford include the Salford Way dementia app, which has been launched by Salford CVS, thanks to funding by NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the ‘Virtual Adventures’ virtual reality rehabilitation programme, run by Salford based charity BASIC.
There’s also a series of events going on this week including:
– Embracing the dementia challenge in Salford’, a co-production event between Salford CCG, the University of Salford and the Salford Dementia Champions Group taking place on Monday 16 May
– ‘Swim for Dementia Challenge’, organised by Salford Community Leisure and taking place on Sunday 21 May
– an arts workshop aimed specifically at people living with dementia and organised by Start in Salford on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 May
– and a ‘Sleep Matters Celebration and Dementia Friends’ event, on Thursday 19 May
Dr Jenny Walton, clinical lead for older people at Salford CCG, said: “Dementia is one of the biggest health challenges we face in Salford.
“We are proud of our work around supporting those people living with the condition.
“This awareness week is a chance to not only showcase what we are doing here in the city, but also to set out how we want to contribute to putting GM on the map for fantastic dementia care and support.”
For more information on what is happening in Salford, please visit the Salford CCG website
Dementia Awareness Week runs from 15-21 May.
