Why our new campaign is so important for everyone affected by dementia
If you love someone living with dementia, you’re living with it too.
That’s the message behind our new brand awareness campaign, called ‘I live with dementia’, and something we at Dementia UK understand all too well.
In my many years of nursing, I’ve learned that dementia doesn’t just affect the person with the diagnosis – it impacts the lives of everyone who loves them.
It’s something our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses hear every day, whether it’s through calls to our Helpline, appointments in our virtual clinics or in their work with families in the community.
What can we expect from the campaign?
The campaign runs from late April to early June on social media and through advertising in bus shelters, featuring relatable scenes that show how the lives of carers are affected by dementia, and how its impact can be felt across the generations.
Our campaign video demonstrates how dementia can change everything: relationships, responsibilities, personalities and perceptions.
We’re also spotlighting three families whose lives have been affected through their loved ones’ diagnosis.
Listening to the experiences of families
In preparation for the campaign, we ran focus groups and listened to carers to make sure we reflected their experiences. What we heard also reflected what I’ve seen in my 40-plus years of nursing. It was crucial that as wide a range of people as possible could relate to the content, and see themselves or their families in it.
We think the experiences of our families will feel all too familiar to many – and we hope that people feel able to reach out to our Admiral Nurses for support and advice, to help them navigate the many issues and challenges that dementia can bring.
So why are we running this campaign now?
Because there’s never been a more pressing time to make sure people are aware of how we can help them.
Dementia is a huge and growing health crisis and the long-term impact of Covid-19 continues to be felt across the country.
Our aim is to make more people aware of the life-changing support our nurses can provide – and with over 900,000 people diagnosed with dementia in the UK, we know there are so many families who need to hear this message.
Find out more about our ‘I live with dementia’ campaign here.