Dementia Friendly Town Committee continues advocacy

The Narrabri Dementia Friendly Town Committee continues its important role in raising awareness in the community and recently marked Dementia Awareness Month.

Dementia Awareness Month is held in September every year and unites people across the world to raise awareness and to challenge the stigma that persists around Alzheimer’s disease and all types of dementia.

“A lot of people don’t realise dementia is the number two killer of people in Australia,” Kylie Finlay said.

Mrs Finlay said there were more than 100 different types of diseases that may cause dementia.

Statistics show that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death of Australians, followed by dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular disease, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The local committee sees its role in the community as important, given the prevalence of dementia across Australia.

Members have been tending to their garden bed at the Narrabri community garden, with signage now installed.

The group contributed $5000 to the community garden at the very start of the project.

Events are often held throughout the year. A memory walk was held in Narrabri in May this year, and Mrs Finlay said the committee hopes to hold an aged care expo in the new year.

Committee member Joan Griffiths has been officially recognised as a Dementia Australia advocate.

The Dementia Advocates program provides an opportunity for people living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment, carers and former carers to share their stories, identify current issues and positively effect change.

The Narrabri committee also still strongly encourages people to become a ‘Dementia Friend’ through Dementia Australia.

An initiative of Dementia Australia, the Dementia Friends program is a series of short online videos designed to help people learn more about dementia, learn about the challenges faced by people living with dementia and learn how to help people with dementia remain connected.

After watching short videos through the Dementia Australia website, people can download a Dementia Friend certificate and request a badge.

Dementia doesn’t discriminate and can impact anyone – a family member, a neighbour, a work colleague. For people living with dementia, performing daily tasks and maintaining social networks can sometimes be challenging. This is why building communities in which people living with dementia feel understood, accepted, and included, is so important.