Local MP Mary Macleod encourages businesses to be ‘Dementia Friendly’

Local MP Mary Macleod has joined with the Alzheimer’s Society to raise the profile of dementia by encouraging businesses to become “dementia friendly”.

The Alzheimer’s Society are increasing awareness about dementia and what it means to live with the disease in a new campaign called ‘Dementia Friends’ It focuses on encouraging people to learn about dementia, and the small things that could make a difference to people living in their community.

At Mary’s quarterly Business Forum in Chiswick Park last week, top local businesses were joined by Sarah Miles, Dementia Friend Trainer to 10 Downing Street. Sarah coached local business leaders on how to join the campaign and create dementia friendly businesses.

Mary said:

“Becoming a “dementia friendly” organisation is an important way in which businesses can demonstrate their commitment to the communities they work with and within. It also makes good business sense – as we heard from Sarah, business could save over £1.5 billion a year just by taking the time to take these short but highly valuable training courses.”

“My team and I in Parliament took the short dementia friends training course recently with a great local representative, which I would highly recommend to everyone. We are all in some way touched by dementia, and with the help of businesses, we can truly become a dementia friendly capital.”

Mary’s comments come two weeks after her letter to newly elected Council Leader Steve Curran, asking him to make sure that Councillors take the training themselves.

Mary added:

“I again urge the Council take this on board and work with me to make Hounslow a dementia friendly Borough”

Over 800,000 people in the UK suffer from dementia and it is estimated that by 2020 there will be 1 million people living with dementia in the UK.