A CINEMA trip, outing to Beamish and a tea dance get together are all planned for Dementia Awareness Week 2016.
A full week of activities are on offer for people living with dementia, their carers and those living on Teesside wanting to learn more about the condition.
Middlesbrough has this month been officially designated as a Dementia Friendly Town by the Department of Health.
Dementia Awareness Week (DAW) runs from Sunday, May 15 to Saturday, May 21 and includes a series of events across Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland.
Additionally, Middlesbrough Libraries have announced that they are launching a new Memory Support Card initiative which means anyone living with dementia or caring for a loved one with dementia will no longer be subject to fines for the late return of books.
The scheme is being launched on Monday, May 16 to coincide with DAW and anyone wishing to sign up can do so at their local Middlesbrough community hub library.
In the last couple of years Middlesbrough libraries have hosted Dementia Cafes for people living with the condition and their carers and fully support the Dementia Friendly Middlesbrough Project which has been developed by Cleveland Alzheimer’s Residential Centre Limited (Clevearc) in partnership with South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, to promote Council staff and residents becoming Dementia Friends and have encouraged local businesses to have staff undergo dementia awareness courses.
The approach led to it being officially recognised as a Dementia Friendly Town.
Cllr Julia Rostron, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Adult Health and Social Care, said: “With an ageing population we are seeing the number of people living with dementia rise, so while we are already doing many things along with our partner agencies, we can’t rest on our laurels.
“The introduction of memory support library cards is a small gesture towards easing the stresses faced by those with the condition and their carers.
“Dementia Awareness Week also allows us to raise the issue with the public and we have a wide programme of events to do just that.”
For more information about the week, contact Emma McInnes, Health Improvement Practitioner (Ageing Well) on 728756.