Sparking a Snowball Effect: The Ongoing Impact of Community Interventions to Raise Dementia Awareness and Promote Proactive Brain Health

September 21 was World Alzheimer’s Day, and this year’s motto 'Never too early, never too late,' carries profound significance as the number of people living with dementia is set to triple by 2050. It underscores the urgency of prevention, taking proactive steps towards risk reduction, early detection and timely support to enhance the quality of life for both individuals and their caregivers.

As part of our commitment to this global initiative, we are delighted to share the success of our recent four Dementia Awareness Initiatives, which have had a profound impact on our community. This is a shining example of how small community interventions can have a lasting impact and how genuine curiosity sparked the snowball effect we're witnessing today.

Our journey began with a themed coffee morning on Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Awareness organized by the Community Health and Wellbeing Workers (CHWWs) from Westminster Council in collaboration with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial College London on September 13, 2023. This event was met with enthusiasm and an appetite for knowledge within our community. Served as a vital educational platform enabling the attendees to deepen residents’ understanding of Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia and underscored the significance of brain health in an interactive session. A number of residents came forward who were worried about themselves or a loved one but had never thought about or talked about it with anyone. It was during this event that a member of the Mother Union and another from City of Westminster expressed their keen interest in dedicated talks in future. The success of the coffee morning served as a catalyst for further engagement and community education.

Our recent event, the "Understanding Dementia: Let’s begin the conversation” at St. Francis Church, Horley" on October 14, 2023, gathered over 50 individuals from the Mothers’ Union Diocesan Council. The event was very well received and facilitated open dialogues about these conditions. Another initiative on "Shining a light on Dementia: Empowering Our Community” at City Hall of Westminster on October 25, 2023 was in collaboration with the Community Partners. The overwhelmingly positive response we received underscores the impact of community education and support. The most recent initiative for Westminster Connect on November 15 was to inform Westminster volunteers about dementia and a pamphlet was made for awareness building and seek interest for upcoming dementia awareness workshops.

In these events, presentations by Dr Nair not only increased awareness of dementia but also emphasized the importance of brain health, equipping our community with essential knowledge and advice. Dr Junghans was on hand to talk through services offered and explained the process of getting from concern to diagnosis and local support during coffee-morning. Participants actively engaged in brain gym activities promoting proactive brain health such as unscramble word solver game. The success of these initiatives has led to a ripple effect in our community. Mother’s Union London and Caterham branch have expressed a keen interest in raising awareness further, with plans for two upcoming workshops. Additionally, our community partners, Westminster Connects have offered to incorporate in-depth sessions as part of their training to volunteers involved with their core services.

This interconnectedness and willingness to learn and share knowledge is a testament to the strength of our community and the power of collective action. We are inspired by their commitment and are deeply grateful for their active participation. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all attendees, CHWWs, members of the Mothers’ Union Organization and City of Westminster. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. 

As we move forward, we remain dedicated to create a more informed, compassionate, and dementia-aware friendly community. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to make a positive impact within our community.