Maria Miller MP met with staff from the Basingstoke Alzheimer’s society, carers and people suffering from dementia to discuss means of increasing awareness among local people of the disease, its symptoms and the services available.

Maria commented; “Nearly 25,000 people in Hampshire are living with Dementia and almost 1900 people are living in Basingstoke. Not only is early diagnosis crucial, but service providers need to be trained in both recognising and dealing with the condition. I spoke with Carers today who highlighted the need for communities to be able to recognise the condition and help support sufferers and their Carers in their everyday lives.

“The Alzheimer’s Society in Basingstoke offers a huge range of local services to make sure that people living with dementia and their carers get the support they need in Hampshire. These include Singing for the Brain sessions, a Dementia Café and Dementia Support Workers. The average age of the population in Basingstoke is now 45 and looking after those with Dementia will become a more common part of our everyday lives in the town.”