Dementia awareness breakfast

The University of Northampton invited Northamptonshire businesses to the beautiful Delapre Abby on 28 June 2017 for an event to promote and support dementia ‘Memory Day’.

The 2nd Annual Memory Day was held on 21 September at the Grosvenor Shopping Centre. Open to all, vital information about dementia and helpful support was provided as well as training to become a ‘Dementia Friend’ and physical exercises for those interested in taking part.

The Memory Day is part of a wider campaign to help raise awareness and funds for an innovative post-diagnostic support centre called UnityDEM. The centre will provide unique care and support for those diagnosed with dementia and advice to family and carers of loved ones.

In addition to this, there is a call for more local businesses to become ‘dementia aware’.

“Local businesses can do much to help customers who have dementia and with relatively little effort. We ask them to get on board with our Memory Day by helping to spread the word or get in touch with us and sponsor what will be an enlightening and fun day.” Jackie Parkes, Professor in Applied Mental Health at the University of Northampton

Local businesses were excited to hear from a panel of leaders from HSBC, Northampton Borough Council and social care publisher Care Choices Ltd. They were on hand to share stories of their success at becoming more ‘dementia aware’ and spoke about the ease with which other businesses could do the same.

With an estimated 7,700 people from Northamptonshire currently living with the condition and that number projected to increase by 45% by 2030, the disease will go on to touch many more lives. The University of Northampton is leading on projects to place the county at the forefront of dementia preparation. You can read more about our projects in this area here.

If you would like to support the University’s work in that area, please do so here.