Kent dementia friendly community – run walk or push against Dementia ‘how far will you go’

The Good Care Group are taking part in the Kent run walk or push against Dementia!

There are currently 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia and it is estimated that 38% of the UK’s 24.6 million population know a family member or close friend living with dementia[1].

Not everyone with dementia has a diagnosis. This can be due to a number of factors including difficulty diagnosing in the early stages, the slow progression and limited public awareness of the diseases that cause dementia[2] so it is important to recognise that information and support needs to be available to those who are worried.

The UK Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) was founded by the Alzheimer’s Society in response to the Prime Minister’s 2020 Dementia Challenge to change attitudes and raise awareness of the disease.

From this Local Alliances sprang up with Kent DAA forging the way with Dementia Friendly Community Forums (DFC) across most communities in Kent.

Elaine Ferris Area Manager for Kent at The good Care Group has been active in both the Kent wide Action Alliance’s and as co-chair for the Sevenoaks Dementia Friendly Community where she lives. Elaine is proud to have instigated and facilitated seminars working with likeminded solicitors, independent financial advisors, linked professionals and the local district council. Information awareness and signposting events have happened across the district with extra focus this year in national ‘Dementia Awareness Week’.

Dementia Awareness Week takes place from the 14^th to 20^th May this year, there are lots of events taking place in Kent supported by many dedicated charities, businesses and organisations. The Good Care Group is supporting Elaine to work with her local forum members and Sevenoaks District Council to arrange and deliver ‘Run Walk or Push against Dementia’. This event is a 3, 5 and 10k run, walk or buggy push taking place in Knole Park Sevenoaks, runners from the serious to the fun will be joining us to raise money and support those living with dementia in the district through registering to take part. The Good Care Group are proud to be sponsors of the event which it is hoped will become annual. People can also raise money in support through the just giving pages linked to Sevenoaks District Council website. www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/runwalkpush

All money raised from this event will go directly to the Sevenoaks DFC and be used to sponsor local dementia services and groups.  Groups can bid for funding through the Sevenoaks DFC constitution which has been set up.

Elaine is very proud of the dementia friendly work The Good Care Group and her likeminded DFC colleagues have undertaken over the past year across Kent, she is confident that that the work will continue and is passionate about raising the bar for information and support in our county.