The One Gloucestershire Dementia Team will be out and about in communities across the county during Dementia Action Week. The annual initiative takes place from May 19 to May 25 and aims to encourage people to seek help and support if they, or a loved one, are experiencing signs of dementia.

This year’s theme for the week is ‘start the conversation, make a difference’. Activities and information will be available at a variety of locations across Gloucestershire’s districts to help people who believe they might be affected by dementia find out more about getting a diagnosis or learn more about dementia and the services that are available.

Organisers want to stress the importance of starting conversations and asking questions, whether it’s how to reduce your risk of dementia, signs and symptoms, or anything that is causing concern or uncertainty.

Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) associated with an ongoing decline in brain function. There are many different causes of dementia and many different types.

In the UK, one in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia and the number of people with dementia is increasing because people are living longer.

Steve Shelley-King, Clinical Lead for Dementia at NHS Gloucestershire said he hoped getting out and about in the community during Dementia Action Week might help people living with undiagnosed dementia to identify symptoms and also ensure that people who are affected by dementia are getting the right support and connected to services.

He said: “With something like dementia, talking to people face to face is really powerful because sometimes it takes a conversation for someone to open up and start exploring the issues they have been facing.

Sometimes individuals will want to find out about getting support and using services but for others it’s more about getting diagnosed or even things they can do to prevent dementia.

Whatever the concerns are, having our experts there in person means we can start to answer those questions for people.”

Some of the events planned during Dementia Action Week include:

  • Gloucester (Thursday May 22) – Choir, health and wellbeing checks, covid jabs and a life experience talk from Dr Jennifer Bute at Gloucestershire Academy of Music
  • Forest (Thursday May 22) – Orchard Trust (Lydbrook) 10am to 6pm, interactive activities including a local walk around the gardens.
  • Newent (Monday May 19) – The One Glos team will be at the Library
  • Tewkesbury Market (Wednesday May 21) – Tewkesbury Dementia Action Alliance
  • Arkell Community Centre (Friday May 23)  (Nailsworth) – Screening of ‘Oklahoma’ from 3pm-6pm, tea, coffee and cake will be available + info stand

Jane Haros, Deputy Director of Nursing at NHS Gloucestershire, is encouraging people to take part in a short survey about dementia services.

She said: “We would really appreciate some feedback from people. It will give us a really valuable insight into what matters to them and help us help us to shape services and support for those who have dementia and their loved ones.”

Links to support:

Further information about dementia is available here: https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/conditions/memory/

If you want to find out more about dementia or Dementia Action Week contact the Managing Memory Together service on 0800 694 8800 or email managingmemory@ghc.nhs.uk

Take part in the survey here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/dementiaactionweek2025/