A CAMPAIGN which aims to help improve life for people with dementia has attracted support from City of York Council’s Cabinet members.

Public Health England and Alzheimer’s Society are encouraging people to become Dementia Friends by watching a short interactive video online to increase their understanding of the condition.

Councillors in York have become the latest to sign up, joining a number of businesses with shops in York which will be encouraging their employees to become Dementia Friends, including Marks & Spencer, Lloyds Bank and Superdrug.

Council leader James Alexander said: “Dementia is arguably the biggest health crisis facing the UK with one in three of us likely to develop the disease. In York there are around 3,000 people currently living with dementia and many more who are friends or carers of those who are affected by it.

“The majority of those living with the disease still live in their local communities, so by understanding a little more about the problems they face we can help make their day to day lives easier. I’m delighted to support the campaign, both as a Cabinet and Council, and would urge others to watch the video and become Dementia Friends too.”

The national campaign aims to create a network of one million Dementia Friends across England by 2015. As part of the campaign, adverts are airing on TV and online.

The campaign is part of a wider initiative in York to help make it a Dementia Friendly City.”

For details on how to become a Dementia Friend, visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk