The community is invited to an event to launch the Rochford Parish Dementia Action Alliance, in order to learn how to help all those living with the condition.

The event will be held at 12pm on Friday January 20 at the Parish Rooms, in West Street, Rochford  (opposite Rochford Railway Station),  to mark the second annual Essex Dementia Day.

It is estimated that 2,629 people in the Rochford District and Castle Point are living with Dementia, but only 1,539 of these have a recorded diagnosis (as of November 2016).

The Rochford Parish Dementia Action Alliance (led by Rochford Parish Council with support from Rochford District Council) will be sharing information about how to spot the early warning signs, as well as how to become a ‘Dementia Friend.”  As part of this event, they will be encouraging people to think of how to “Do something Different” to help those living with dementia.

Cllr June Lumley, Rochford District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community, said: “Dementia is a condition which can affect all of our lives, with many of us having direct experience of friends or relatives who have received a diagnosis.  In the parish of Rochford alone there were 150 people who had received a diagnosis as of last November, and it is believed that many more remain undiagnosed.

“Therefore it is imperative that as many people as possible become “Dementia Friends” in order to help those within our communities who are affected, and so I would urge everyone to attend this event.”

Cllr Arthur Williams, Chairman of Rochford Parish Council, said: “Dementia is a growing issue in all of our communities. I would encourage local residents to learn more about the condition by attending the free Dementia Friends Session taking place on January 20.”

Dementia is caused by a number of diseases that affect the brain. The most common is Alzheimer's but diseases also include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and Pick's disease.

Different types of dementia affect the brain at different rates and in different ways, but other things like someone's personal circumstances, the people around them and the environment in which they live, will affect their experience of dementia. Dementia progresses in a way that is unique to each individual.

It is true that more people over 65 have Dementia but it is not exclusively an older person's disease; younger people get Dementia too.   

Five things you need to know about dementia:

  • Dementia is not a natural part of the ageing process.
  • Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain.
  • It is not just about losing your memory.
  • It's possible to live well with it.
  • There is more to the person than the dementia.

To find out more go to www.dementiafriends.org.uk