6 Dementia Friends and Dementia Friends Champions

A Dementia Friend is a person who undertakes to make small changes which might help an individual who has dementia or might make life easier in a community for those with dementia. The 'Dementia Friends' initiative comes with support from the Cabinet Office and with the backing and of a National Lottery Fund grant to the Alzheimer's Society (see Post 5).  

The aim is to recruit 1,000,000 individuals who have each attended an information session on dementia and have then registered as a Dementia Friends with the Alzheimer's Society. At present there are about 30,000 Dementia Friends.

 The information sessions are delivered by Dementia Friends Champions - individuals who have progressed from being a Dementia Friend by further practical session on the delivery of information sessions. About 2,000 Dementia Friends Champions are registered. Dates for training days for Champions can usually be found at:

http://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/

Each Dementia Friend Champion undertakes to prepare and deliver of information sessions to various groups - such as:

• relatives and friends 
• a local community group
• the staff and pupils of a local school 
• small parties of employees of local businesses
• meetings open to the public.  

The Alzheimer's Society offers considerable support - handouts, materials, 'games' etc - for a DFC's information session. The Society keeps a register of proposed meetings and provides a support and a communications network for those who become Dementia Friends.