EAST Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has first hand experience of a family member learning to live with Dementia and is determined to try and increase understanding of the condition by running information training sessions.

In explaining the reason behind this decision to become involved in the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends programme, Mr Hinds said: “Before my late mother was diagnosed with a form of dementia (fronto-temporal) I thought I knew a lot about the condition.

When the diagnosis came I realised how far from the truth that was. More than 26,000, people in Hampshire, including unitary authorities, have a form of dementia and across the UK a new person develops it every three minutes.

“Despite its growing prevalence, public understanding of the condition remains poor, which is why the Alzheimer’s Society are running a programme to boost awareness, and also why I decided to get involved.

“Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme has been set up to tackle the stigma of dementia that can often result in people with the condition experiencing loneliness and social exclusion.

“The society aims to create more communities and businesses that are dementia friendly so that people affected feel understood and included. To achieve this aim volunteer Dementia Friends Champions run information sessions to create Dementia Friends; having comfortably met their target to create one million, they have set themselves a new, ambitious aim to quadruple this number by 2020.

“Along with many MPs, a few years ago I became a Dementia Friend, which provided me with an invaluable understanding of what it is like to live with dementia and how I can change my own behaviour to support sufferers.

“Like the Alzheimer’s Society, I want to make sure more people are given the opportunity to understand the disease so that we can not only reach and surpass the society’s 2020 aim, but also create the most dementia friendly country in Europe. One way to support this aim has been to become a Dementia Friends Champion myself.”

Having now completed the champion course, Mr Hinds is able to offer information sessions across East Hampshire.”

The MP for Liphook and Grayshott added: “I would wholeheartedly encourage people to attend and I would like to take the opportunity to share some of the key messages I learned from my training day.”

Dementia is:

• Not a natural part of ageing

• Is caused by diseases of the brain

• Not just about losing your memory - and

• It is possible to live well with dementia

• There is more to the person than the dementia

The Tory MP said: “As well as these five key messages, one of my biggest takeaways from the Champions training was that anyone, of any age, can be a Dementia Friend.”

• For more information and support or to become a Dementia Friend, visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk where you can also find an information session or champions training day

EAST Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has first hand experience of a family member learning to live with Dementia and is determined to try and increase understanding of the condition by running information training sessions.

In explaining the reason behind this decision to become involved in the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends programme, Mr Hinds said: “Before my late mother was diagnosed with a form of dementia (fronto-temporal) I thought I knew a lot about the condition.

When the diagnosis came I realised how far from the truth that was. More than 26,000, people in Hampshire, including unitary authorities, have a form of dementia and across the UK a new person develops it every three minutes.

“Despite its growing prevalence, public understanding of the condition remains poor, which is why the Alzheimer’s Society are running a programme to boost awareness, and also why I decided to get involved.

“Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme has been set up to tackle the stigma of dementia that can often result in people with the condition experiencing loneliness and social exclusion.

“The society aims to create more communities and businesses that are dementia friendly so that people affected feel understood and included. To achieve this aim volunteer Dementia Friends Champions run information sessions to create Dementia Friends; having comfortably met their target to create one million, they have set themselves a new, ambitious aim to quadruple this number by 2020.

“Along with many MPs, a few years ago I became a Dementia Friend, which provided me with an invaluable understanding of what it is like to live with dementia and how I can change my own behaviour to support sufferers.

“Like the Alzheimer’s Society, I want to make sure more people are given the opportunity to understand the disease so that we can not only reach and surpass the society’s 2020 aim, but also create the most dementia friendly country in Europe. One way to support this aim has been to become a Dementia Friends Champion myself.”

Having now completed the champion course, Mr Hinds is able to offer information sessions across East Hampshire.”

The MP for Liphook and Grayshott added: “I would wholeheartedly encourage people to attend and I would like to take the opportunity to share some of the key messages I learned from my training day.”

Dementia is:

• Not a natural part of ageing

• Is caused by diseases of the brain

• Not just about losing your memory - and

• It is possible to live well with dementia

• There is more to the person than the dementia

The Tory MP said: “As well as these five key messages, one of my biggest takeaways from the Champions training was that anyone, of any age, can be a Dementia Friend.”

• For more information and support or to become a Dementia Friend, visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk where you can also find an information session or champions training day

• Call the Alzheimer’s Society national dementia helpline on 0300 222 1122 – it provides information, support, guidance and signposting to other appropriate organisations

• Talking Point – Alzheimer’s Society’s online support and discussion forum for anyone affected by dementia.Call the Alzheimer’s Society national dementia helpline on 0300 222 1122 – it provides information, support, guidance and signposting to other appropriate organisations

• Talking Point – Alzheimer’s Society’s online support and discussion forum for anyone affected by dementia.