Led by Alzheimer’s Society, the annual Dementia Action Week is a national event that sees the UK public coming together to take action to improve the lives of people affected by dementia. For Dementia Action Week 2021 (May 17 – 23), Alzheimer’s Society is asking the public in the West Midlands to take a stand and urge Government to transform the social care system for hundreds of thousands of families facing dementia today, and for generations to come.

Looking to the future, one in three of us born in the UK today will go on to develop dementia in our lifetime, and there will be one million people living with dementia by 2025, making dementia care the greatest healthcare challenge facing society. Unlike any other health condition, it’s social care, not the NHS that people with dementia rely on every day, getting a raw deal just because they developed dementia.

They are by far the majority of social care users. The coronavirus pandemic has brutally exposed how our broken social care system fails people with dementia, showing how deeply unfair, difficult to access, totally inadequate and expensive it is. The opportunity for change is now.

Alzheimer’s Society is calling on the Government to rebuild the social care system in 2021 so every person with dementia and every carer in the West Midlands can get the quality support they need to stay happy, healthy and independent for as long as possible. This means quality care that is right for them, free and easy to get, no matter where you live - like the NHS and schools. A social care system we can all be proud of that gives the peace of mind and dignity that everyone deserves. We won’t stop until everyone can access the dementia care they so critically need, now and in the future. 

The government have promised to fix social care in the UK – they must hold them to that promise. Successive governments have failed to address social care for decades – the time has come to set that right, to leave a legacy to be proud of. There are lots of ways to get involved in Dementia Action Week. Whether you’d like to sign up to join the campaign or help spread the word among your friends, workplace or community, we will have tailored resources full of ideas and advice on the simple ways you can take part.

Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity. We provide information and support, improve care, fund research, and create lasting change for people affected by dementia.

  

Alzheimer’s Society will be asking people to get involved by urging government to act now and transform the care system for families facing dementia.