Dementia Week: Free offers for those affected in the Verden district!

Dementia Week: Free offers for those affected in the Verden district!

Raising awareness of dementia is once again the focus: **Dementia Week** will take place in the Verden district from September 19th to 28th, 2023. This campaign, which has been supported by the Federal Government since its launch in 2015, aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with dementia and their families. The motto of this year's week is: “Dementia – being and remaining human” and offers a variety of events and lectures that are completely free of charge for those affected, their relatives and those interested. According to the dementia guide, around 1.8 million people in Germany live with this disease, which underlines the urgency of this initiative.

This year, the week has a special place as part of **World Alzheimer's Day**, which is held annually on September 21st. The activities are organized by the Verden district senior citizen and care base and numerous cooperation partners. This collaboration in particular has shown in the past how important it is to draw public attention to the issue of dementia. This is supported not only through poster campaigns, but also through the direct involvement of experts and self-help groups.

Diverse offers and programs

Dementia Week includes a rich program of events. An introductory course on dementia will take place on September 20th, organized by the “Life Moments Dementia” self-help group, which begins at 2:30 p.m. in Verden. Anyone interested in the special challenges of accompanying people with dementia can attend a course entitled “Accompaniment in Otherland” in the Achim town hall on September 23rd at 3:00 p.m. Registration is required for this course, which can be made by calling the telephone number provided or by email.

On the same day at 5:00 p.m. Petra Michaelis will offer the lecture “Naturally mentally fitter”, which also deals with the topic and offers valuable insights into life with dementia. On September 25th, those interested can find out more about the question “Dementia – what now?” experience; The corresponding lecture begins at 5:30 p.m. in the multi-generational house in Dörverden.

As a culmination, a dementia-friendly service will take place on September 28th in the St. Paul Church in Oyten. All of these offers are aimed at providing valuable support to people suffering from dementia and their relatives and promoting understanding of this widespread illness.

Dementia in Germany and worldwide

Dementia, which is not just a disease of old age but often occurs gradually, is accompanied by over 10,000 new cases of Alzheimer's disease in Germany every year. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, which particularly often affects women. Dementia affects approximately 50 million people worldwide, and this number could more than triple in the coming decades. Increasing life expectancy means that the prevalence of dementia is increasing, which is also forecast for Germany.

In the coming years, it is expected that around 3.8 percent of the population in Germany will suffer from dementia by the middle of the century. This requires increased initiative from each individual to create a certain level of understanding and support for those affected and their families. The international exchange aims to promote awareness and better manage the challenges associated with this disease.

**Dementia Week** is not only an opportunity to collect information, but also to become more understanding and empathetic in dealing with those affected. Further information and details about all events are available on the organizers' websites. It's a chance to develop a good knack for dealing with one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.

Further information about the events and registration options can be found at weser-kurier.de, wegweiser-dementia.de and statista.com.