Carey Mulligan has been appointed by the Alzheimer’s Society and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to help the fight to make community’s dementia friendly.
Around the world 47.5 million people are living with the condition, which is set to rise by 135 million by 2050, dementia is the biggest health and social care crisis facing the world today.
There is a huge stigma in many communities surrounding dementia which can result in people being excluded from playing an active role in society, losing relationships and jobs.
Alzheimer’s Society are working together with the Government on Dementia Friends programme which has already seen over 1.6 million people join the campaign and aims to reach 4 million by 2020. Carey Mulligan’s role is to encourage an understanding of dementia – a condition which her grandmother (known as Nans) lives with.
“My Nans has dementia and I have experienced first-hand how devastating it can be. It affects everyone differently, and it’s so important that everyone affected by the condition is treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve. At the moment, there’s not nearly enough awareness and as a global society we have a duty to change that.
“The first step involves educating people and breaking down stigma – not just on our doorstep, but across the world. I’ve seen my Mum doing this in her role as a Dementia Friends Champion - now I’m honoured to become the first UK Global Dementia Friends Ambassador and help Alzheimer’s Society and the Government change global attitudes towards dementia.” said Carey Mulligan.
To mark the announcement of Mulligan’s new role, she came together with Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt at Heathrow airport, which is working towards becoming the world’s first dementia friendly airport.
Jeremy Hunt said, “The impact of dementia tears at families and at our social fabric - that’s why making progress is a key government priority. Carey Mulligan will be a great asset both in raising awareness and promoting the benefits of the Dementia Friends programme – at home and globally.”
Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said, “One of the biggest challenges in creating Dementia Friendly Communities is getting people to talk about dementia. Dementia Friends has proved to be a great springboard to inspire global dementia action. We are delighted that Alzheimer’s Society supporter Carey Mulligan will be leading the way in her role as UK Global Dementia Friends Ambassador.”
Photo credit: Jonathan Banks
