Ceredigion Volunteer Fundraising Group

16/05/2024

16/05/2024

A dementia diagnosis is vital to give people access to the care, treatment and support they desperately need.

But one in three people with dementia are living without one.

That's why we’re turning a spotlight on diagnosis this Dementia Action Week (13 – 19 May).

We need Governments and the NHS to prioritise dementia in policy and decision making, and we want anyone worried about dementia to know how to get a diagnosis.

16/05/2024

‘One of our favourite memories is how we met and got together. We had eight months just texting each other before I finally drove two hours down to Wales to meet on her dinner break. We always laugh about that.’

‘We first spotted dementia symptoms in 2018 and doctors initially thought it was depression, but we knew that wasn’t right. It wasn’t until July 2020 that Sandy was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

‘Waiting two years for the right diagnosis was a long time. Too long. If Sany had been able to start treatment earlier, the dementia might not have progressed the way it did. We lost so much time, and we could have planned to do so much more.

‘I’ve had to give up work to become a full-time carer for Sandy and my mother, and sell personal items to pay for care and buy essentials. No-one in Government understands the financial pressures carers face, especially when trying to claim for benefits is like screaming into the wind – no one’s listening.

‘With each stage of claiming for anything, there is a waiting period, and each waiting period puts you into arrears with your mortgage and things like that. I feel sorry for people that are in the same situation as us because it’s a hard slog; you’re taking it from all sides while losing the person you love.’

‘If it wasn’t for Alzheimer’s Society, I’m not sure where I’d be. Their support, advice and resources have helped me, and they’ve listened when no-one else would.’

To launch Dementia Action Week, we released new research revealing that the cost of dementia in the UK has reached a staggering £42 billion per year, with people living with dementia and their families shouldering 63% of these costs.

We’re calling on the Government to make dementia a priority; to increase access to early and accurate dementia diagnosis, and provide greater support for unpaid carers to help families avoid reaching costly, avoidable crisis points.

21/06/2023

Robin Williams took his own life because he was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Bruce Willis just learned that his illness is Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Lewy Body Dementia. One of the hardest things to process is the changes in the one you love. Becoming a completely different person.

Everything changes. Just so you know...😢 It’s called the long goodbye. Rapidly shrinking brain is how a doctor described it. As the patient's brain slowly dies, they change physically and eventually forget who their loved ones are and become less themselves. Patients can eventually become bedridden, unable to move and forget how to eat and drink and are unable to communicate with their loved ones, with no recognition of who they are. There will be people who will scroll by this message because Dementia or Alzheimer's has not touched them. They may not know what it's like to have a loved one who has fought or is fighting a battle against Dementia or Alzheimer's. It is now the Words biggest killing disease.
In an effort to raise awareness of this cruel disease, I would like to see at least 5 of my friends put this on their timeline. I'll settle for at least one. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

21/06/2023

Thank you for agreeing to answer a few quick questions on social care reform. We really value your views, so we’ll let you know the outcome of the survey, and how this informed our work.    

10/04/2023

New campaign reveals how dementia puts the ultimate vow of ‘in sickness and in health’ to the test.

New Alzheimer's Society campaign features stories of couples affected by dementia across the UK and an emotional TV and radio ad, narrated by actor Colin Firth.
The realities of living with dementia are laid bare in a moving campaign launched today by Alzheimer’s Society.

Couples from across the UK have opened their hearts about the devastating impact the condition has had on their relationships. But they have also shared how, despite everything, love remains.
For many, a dementia diagnosis tests relationships like nothing else- whether that be relationships between partners, families, friends, or any other kind of relationship impacted by dementia.

By highlighting the changing nature of intimate relationships following a dementia diagnosis we shine a light on the challenges couples face, and how Alzheimer’s Society vows to be there for them no matter what. We're also urging supporters to help us reach more people by donating to the cause.

The campaign features an emotional TV and radio ad, narrated by actor Colin Firth, which shows how dementia can change the dynamics of a relationship.

We vow to help end the devastation caused by dementia, but we can’t do it without you. One in three of us born in the UK today will develop dementia in our l...