World Alzheimer's Awareness Day: How Students Can Take Part
World Alzheimer’s Awareness Day is on the 21st of September every year. It is a day when Alzheimer’s and dementia charities and associations all around the world try to raise awareness, host charity fundraising events, launch campaigns and host memory walks, amongst other things.
The day is a way of bringing focus to the communities that are affected by Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. We are always keen to let you know about various health awareness campaigns, such as Alzheimer’s Awareness or Endometriosis Awareness Month, as there are countless people either directly or indirectly affected and it is important to know that there is support out there for you.
Let’s learn more about Alzheimer’s Awareness Day.
Is there a difference between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?
Alzheimer’s and dementia are terms that you often here interchangeably, but what is the difference? There are specific definitions for each:
• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and it is Alzheimer’s that accounts for the majority of dementia cases. It is a neurodegenerative disorder that is progressive and affects primarily cognitive functions and memory.
• Dementia is the general term that is used to describe a wide set of symptoms that have an impact on cognitive abilities, thinking, memory, and behaviour in the person. It is an umbrella term that is used to describe a group of symptoms, rather than a single disease or disorder.
What is the theme of World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month 2024?
There is a World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in September of each year, of which the main focus is the day on 21st September. This year, the theme of the campaign for the entire month is ‘Time to Act on Dementia, Time to Act on Alzheimer’s’. All the charity organisations and awareness campaigns are asking for people who have been impacted by Alzheimer’s to share their stories.
What is World Alzheimer’s Awareness Day?
Every September, individuals and organisations raise awareness of dementia and Alzheimer’s, with the focus on the 21st of September as the main day of awareness. Every year the World Alzheimer Report is released around this date, challenging why so many people believe that dementia is just a normal part of getting old.
This is a big enough reason on its own to raise awareness and to ensure that as many people as possible know that dementia isn’t a given as we get older, and how to be aware of the symptoms in loved ones and ourselves. There is still a stigma attached to dementia and Alzheimer’s, and the idea of this annual event is to raise awareness and develop a society that is more friendly towards dementia.
What is the World Alzheimer Report?
The report will be available to the public on 21st September 2024 and will take a deeper look at how dementia is perceived by the wider public, by carers, health practitioners, and those who are living with the condition.
The London School of Economics was commissioned to produce the report to look at how attitudes towards dementia have changed over the last five years. The 2019 report found that 62% of healthcare practitioners wrongly considered dementia to be a normal part of the ageing process, and 35% of carers had hidden a diagnosis of dementia.
On top of that, 1 in 4 of the general public assumed that there was nothing that could be done to treat dementia. It will be interesting to see how things have changed in that time.
How to get involved in Alzheimer’s Awareness Month?
There are a few ways in which you can get involved and take part in raising awareness of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease:
Learn more about Alzheimer’s
Take the time to look up different Alzheimer’s and dementia charities, read up on different bits of information, and speak to those who you know who suffer from dementia, whether that is an older relative, a friend who has cared for a family member, or people you know who work in the care industry.
Run a charity event
There are many ways that you can raise money for an Alzheimer’s charity, either on World Alzheimer’s Awareness Day or during the awareness month of September.
From charity runs to charity abseiling events, market stalls and car boot sales, to sponsored walks and sponsored reading challenges, there is a whole world of fundraising events that you can come up with, either alone or with the help of university friends, to get creative and raise some funds.
Make a donation
If you are unsure how to run an event, and just want to make a regular or one-off donation to a charity organisation that helps those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, there are some amazing organisations to choose from.
It is simple to donate to the Alzheimer’s charity of your choice.
Become a Dementia Friend
Dementia Friends is open to any person who wants to learn more about dementia and help those who are suffering from it. There are plenty of informative sessions available online and you can learn about what it is like to live with dementia and understand how to take effective action to help. Even if this is just talking to friends about what you have learned, every small action helps raise awareness.
Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of dementia affect close to a million people in the UK alone. When you consider the family and friends of those people too and the support services required, this number becomes much larger. As with other diseases and conditions, it is important to be fully aware of the disease and what can be done to help those suffering. That’s why awareness days, such as this or breast cancer awareness month are so important, bringing eyes to vital issues, raising awareness and much-needed funds to combat disease and providing support structures to those who are suffering.