Action taken on dementia

EVENT . . . At Caremark in Lees are staff (from left Stephanie Doherty, Jane Grant, Iqra Sabar, Carol Laister, Maryann Brierley and Helan Graham)

A SERIES of events and activities took place to raise the profile of dementia during a week of action in Oldham.

Several groups and firms took the opportunity to dress up, bake cakes and raise money in aid of Dementia Awareness Week which ran from May 14 to 21.

Caremark Oldham and Tameside had an open house for people living with dementia and memory loss and their carers, family and friends.

Dozens of residents attended Cuppa with Caremark on Wednesday morning - a friendly drop-in which also gave residents the opportunity to meet the staff team and find out more about Caremark's support services.

Singing for the Brain, which is a weekly support group for people living with dementia and their carers, celebrated the occasion by holding their weekly gathering in a new venue.

Instead of singing at their usual Lyceum Building site, they took to the cafe area at Sainsbury's in Union Street, and sang to the public on Wednesday afternoon .

Members also ran an information stall in the supermarket foyer and handed out coffee and cake donated by Sainsbury's.

The group, organised by the Alzheimer's Society, hopes to improve wellbeing and confidence by bringing singers together, partaking in familiar tunes in the hope of evoking memories.

At another event, staff at Scrivens' Market Street branch dressed in their pyjamas for the day.

Scriven Opticians and Hearing Care also launched a Memorable Moments photographic competition last week to find images of landscapes, people and joyous occasions to feature in the firm's national charity calendar in aid of Alzheimer's Society.

The opticians invited visitors to donate to the cause by putting cakes, books and handmade jewellery on sale on Thursday.

Branch manager Elaine Speight said: "It's a cause we care about because dementia affects the lives of so many people in our community. There is a real need for continued research and support."