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Dementia friends scheme launches first sessions

Dementia Alzheimer's
A government-funded Alzheimer's Society initiative to improve public understanding of dementia by signing up a million 'dementia friends', launched last week with the first of its 'friends information sessions'.

A government-funded Alzheimer's Society initiative to improve public understanding of dementia by signing up a million 'dementia friends', launched last week with the first of its 'friends information sessions'.

Prime minister David Cameron and comedian and former psychiatric nurse Jo Brand, were among the first to sign up, committing to learning more about the condition and turning understanding into practical action.

The free, volunteer-led information sessions aim to help people understand what living with the condition might be like and what they could do to make a difference to people in their community.

A recent YouGov survey found less than half of people think they have a good understanding of dementia.