Supporting Dementia Action Week 2025

This week (19–25 May), we’ve been part of something really important - Dementia Action Week, a national campaign led by the Alzheimer’s Society.

This week-long event focuses on raising awareness, challenging stigma, and fostering a dementia-friendly society where those living with dementia can live well and feel understood and supported.

With nearly a million people in the UK living with dementia, and so many more impacted as family, friends, or carers, this week reminds us just how vital awareness, early diagnosis, and the right support can be. Because behind every diagnosis is a person -and they deserve to feel seen, heard, and valued.

A podcast to mark Dementia Action Week

To mark the week, our Workforce Development Lead, Alison, was joined by Diane Hinchliffe and Claire Bagshaw from the Alzheimer’s Society to record a special It’s All About People Podcast ​​​​​

The resulting honest and uplifting conversation explores the work being done in Lincolnshire to support people with Young Onset Dementia - a diagnosis that brings unique challenges.

From tackling myths and changing how we talk about dementia, to exploring how language and understanding can change lives, this episode is full of insight, heart, and hope.

The podcast also featured the voices of people with lived experience through powerful, personal poetry that really brought home the importance of empathy and awareness.

Claire shared the exciting news that the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) is working in partnership with the Alzheimer's Society to pilot a new Young-Onset Dementia Support Service for people living in Lincolnshire. This service offers one-to-one support and is also available to friends and family members.

This week also sees the launch of a Dementia Voice Local Group in Lincolnshire – a collective of individuals with lived experience who are using their voices to shape the work of the Alzheimer’s Society and beyond. We’re really looking forward to having Claire back in a future episode to tell us how things are going.

And there’s been much more going on across Lincolnshire in Dementia Action Week 2025, including:

• Online sip & support sessions for carers
• Dementia Friends workshops
• An art exhibition in Bourne
• Memory Cafés
• Memory Walks

Bob’s Brainwaves expands to Boston

In January this year, we talked to Chris Suich and Jane Berni from the dementia charity Bob’s Brainwaves in our It’s All About People Podcast Episode 36, and explored the brilliant resources the charity offers for families and new carers at the point of diagnosis.

The charity was founded by Chris and inspired by her 9-year journey caring for her husband Bob, who was diagnosed with amnesia when he was just 59, and later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. 

Chris drew on her experience both as a teacher and as Bob’s carer to create the FREE Bob's Brainwaves Information Pack (see image below), an essential resource filled with key forms, guidance, and support to make life easier for carers. These packs are available at NHS memory clinics and dementia cafes, ensuring families have quick access to the help they need.

Bob’s Brainwaves also offer FREE dementia-friendly signage created in collaboration with Widgit, a company that specialises in symbols-based communication.

These resources are already making a big impact in East Lindsey by reducing stress and providing clarity for carers, so we're therefore thrilled to announce that Bob's Brainwaves has now expanded to Boston, to help families in the early stages of dementia in the town and surrounding areas.

What will Bob's Brainwaves deliver in Boston?

• 400 Bob's Brainwaves Handy Help Packs
• Provide information & support to 400 families living with dementia
• Increase local knowledge and connectivity

Bob's Brainwaves offers significant benefits to families and carers navigating the early stages of dementia, including:

• Practical Support - The range of essential forms, guidance, and resources contained in the Information Pack simplifies complex processes and reduces stress for carers.
• Empowerment - By offering clear, organised support, the Information Pack helps carers feel more in control during challenging times.
• Proven Impact - Based on its success in East Lindsey, where it has been praised by carers and professionals for its profound positive effects, the project has already demonstrated its value in easing the journey for carers.
• Personal Connection - Inspired by real-life experience, the project reflects an authentic understanding of carers' challenges, making it relatable and truly helpful.
• Community Support - It fosters a sense of belonging, showing carers they are not alone in this journey.

One carer said: "Its like a gift - it shows we're not alone."

Another carer said: "It opens up doors to people who care."

It’s fantastic to see this work growing across the county, ensuring that even more people have access to the right guidance and support when they need it.

CLICK HERE to find out more about Bob’s Brainwaves and the resources the charity offers.

CLICK HERE to read our Blog about the charity's first anniversary

Listen to the Bob's Brainwaves Podcast

We’d love for you to give the podcast a listen - here's the link again: It’s All About People Podcast Episode 36. It really will help you to better understand the real impact of a dementia diagnosis, not just on the person themselves, but on their families, friends, and carers.

And the more we understand, the better we become at seeing the person, not just the condition.

Because at the heart of it all, and as always, it’s all about people.