Partner Press Release: Beacon Arts Centre and Custom House light up purple for Dementia Awareness Week
This June, the Beacon Arts Centre and Custom House on Greenock’s waterfront, will light up purple in support of Alzheimer Scotland and to mark Dementia Awareness Week 2021.
Taking place on the first week of June each year, Dementia Awareness Week is an opportunity to support the 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland and their families and carers.
The theme for this year’s Dementia Awareness Week is 'Hidden voices, Hidden impact, Hidden cost', reflecting on the devastating impact, and true experience, of coronavirus on the dementia community.
Henry Simmons, Chief Executive, Alzheimer Scotland, said: “People with dementia and their families have been significantly impacted by the COVID19 pandemic, and the subsequent measures put in place to mitigate the spread of the virus.
"Almost every component of what could, and should, be a good system of personalised care and support for people with dementia and their families has been shattered.
"For well over a year, with the exception of residential forms of care, almost all direct community support has been delivered exclusively by families themselves.
"This Dementia Awareness Week, Alzheimer Scotland pledges to ensure the hidden impact of the coronavirus pandemic on people with dementia, and their families and carers, is brought to the forefront and will work towards ensuring every person, in every area of Scotland, receives the highest level of care and support."
Pauline Kane, Theatre Director for the Beacon, said: “We are proud to support Alzheimer Scotland's campaign for Dementia Awareness Week 2021 and light up the Beacon in purple.
"At Beacon Arts Centre we work to promote the restorative and transformative power of the arts.
"Once we re-open, we look forward to resuming our partnership with Alzheimer Scotland to support those living with dementia in Inverclyde”.
Councillor Robert Moran, Inverclyde’s health and social care convener and older people’s champion, said: “Dementia and diseases like Alzheimer’s are incredibly cruel and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has made it so much worse for people with dementia and their families and friends.
"There’s a lot of good work happening in Inverclyde to support people living with dementia but it’s important that we continue to raise awareness of it and the wide-ranging effects it has on people.
"That’s why we’re pleased to support Dementia Awareness Week 2021 and to see the Beacon Arts Centre and Custom House being lit up to shine a light on the great work being done by organisations such as Alzheimer Scotland along with the council and health and social care partnership.”
If you have the chance to get involved in Dementia Awareness Week in any way, online or in person, please support the week by following the conversation on social media (#DementiaAwareness) and reach out to your fellow citizens living with dementia and their carers.
Marri Welsh, Head of Communications & Campaigns said: “Everyone can make a difference, no matter how much or how little time you can spare. From committing to learning a little bit more about dementia, to sharing your own lived experience, every action counts.
"This Dementia Awareness Week, we ask you to pledge to make a difference using our Forget-Me-Not template, or simply colour it in and display in your window to show your support.”
Get involved with Alzheimer Scotland’s Dementia Awareness Week (31 May – 6 June 2021):
- Download the Forget-Me-Not template and pledge your support here
- Become a Dementia Friend to understand a bit more about dementia and the small things you could do to help – find our more here
- Make your area safer for people with dementia by downloading Purple Alert, a community minded app for people with dementia if they are missing. Download the app here
- Alzheimer Scotland relies on your donations to make sure nobody faces dementia alone. A small amount will make a huge difference. Text DAW to 70085 to donate £3. Texts cost £3 plus one standard rate message.
- Visit the Dementia Awareness Week webpage for more ways to get involved and make a difference in a matter of minutes at www.alzscot.org/DAW2021
Join the Dementia Awareness Week conversation on Twitter with @alzscot using #DementiaAwareness