This week marks Dementia Action Week. Dementia Action Week is run by the Alzheimer’s Society, and aims to raise awareness and bring about positive change for those living with dementia and their carers.

Over the last few months, I’ve met with different dementia support groups in our area. In February, I took part in an information session to become an Alzheimer’s Society dementia friend, to raise awareness of dementia and to learn about the small ways we can help those affected by it. Following this meeting, I wrote my Barnsley Chronicle column on the importance of being dementia friendly right across our area.

Last month, I became a patron of Barnsley Independent Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support, and spoke at the launch of their carer support service appeal, and I popped in to meet Butterflies Dementia Support Group as they prepared for their royal wedding celebration.

All of these groups do fantastic work in supporting people living with dementia in Barnsley, but it is clear that despite their incredible efforts, there is still much more to do. I recently met some of my constituents living with dementia and their carers, and their stories really highlighted just how far we still have to go to break the stigma that sadly all too often surrounds dementia in our society today.

As the Alzheimer’s Society states, it’s so important that we all work to ensure that people living with dementia can be a part of, not apart from society. During this Dementia Action Week, the Alzheimer’s Society will be asking all of us to take actions, no matter how large or small, to make life better for those living with dementia.

You can find out more about Dementia Action Week here.