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About the project

About dementia

About Dementia launched in 2019, thanks to funding from the Life Changes Trust. Since then, we’ve been working alongside people living with dementia, unpaid carers and partner organisations to make a meaningful impact in influencing policy and practice for people living with dementia.

We engage with people with lived experience to understand what needs to change, then work collaboratively to do what we can to make those changes real.

Our work spans many areas but connecting with people affected by dementia at a community level lies at the heart of everything we do. When the project began, we spent time travelling around Scotland to communicate in person with those impacted by dementia. The Covid-19 pandemic saw us shift to online work and we are now operating a hybrid model, with a mixture of in-person and online meetings and events.

Working groups

We host regular meet-ups for people living with dementia and we also host groups for carers. These events support people on an individual level, offering them a safe space to open up and build friendships with others in similar situations. Coffee and Blether is our most informal group, where people come together to chat and enjoy a cuppa.

Those who are looking to discuss dementia issues on a wider scale – issues where they would like to see change, for example access to services – are welcome to attend our policy drop-ins. For a deeper discussion on the political landscape and to help inform the direction of travel towards necessary change, members are invited to our Human Rights Working Groups.

We’ve seen many friendships form through these groups and participants say they are of great benefit to their mental health and wellbeing. We’re always looking for new faces to join us, so if you’re interested, get in touch by emailing aboutdementia@agescotland.org.uk You can check upcoming dates and events here.

The Network

We also support groups and organisations across Scotland who run services for people living with dementia, through our Dementia Friendly Communities Network. Every month we bring Network members together online for discussions on dementia-related topics and to learn from each other. We recently launched in-person events, which received extremely positive feedback from attendees. Membership is free and open to everyone who is interested in supporting dementia friendly communities in Scotland. 

Grants and funding

Another very important aspect of our work is funding. We currently have two types of funding available: Peer-to-Peer Grants and the Encouraging and Supporting Grassroots Activity Fund. The first of these grants, Peer-to-Peer, is awarded only to people living with dementia or carers of people living with dementia. The programme aims to empower these people to set up their own projects and is open to applications at any time. The grassroots dementia grant is for anyone who runs a group or organisation that provides activities which support people with dementia and/or carers, and is only open to applications during specific periods.

Stay informed

Keen to keep up with About Dementia? By signing up to our mailing list, you will be kept updated about the project via our monthly newsletters, which includes information on our working group meeting dates, our policy work and relevant news.

If you’re interested in staying up to date with the project via social media, you can follow us on Twitter at @AboutDementiaSc. You can also contact us by phone via the Age Scotland switchboard on 0333 323 2400.

Want to write to us? Our postal address is:

About Dementia Team
C/O Age Scotland
Causewayside House
160 Causewayside
Edinburgh
EH9 1PR

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Get involved

We host three different types of meet-ups, or working groups meetings, which are open to the public. Find out more about these meet-ups here.

If you’d like to come along to any of these groups or you’d just like some more information about what these sessions involve, please email aboutdementia@agescotland.org.uk.

There’s no obligation to attend each time and you can dedicate as much or as little time as you like. We’re always delighted to see friendly new faces!

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Our Team
About Dementia is facilitated by a team of staff:

Dr Kainde Manji, Project Manager at About Dementia and Head of Dementia at Age Scotland
Email: kainde.manji@agescotland.org.uk

Dina Roggero, Influencing and Engagement Officer
Email: dina.roggero@agescotland.org.uk

Alice Motion, Policy Officer
Email: alice.motion@agescotland.org.uk

Adam Huntley, Grants and Learning Coordinator
Email: adam.huntley@agescotland.org.uk

Jennifer Kean, Grants and Learning Coordinator
Email: jennifer.kean@agescotland.org.uk

Sheanne Mulholland, Communications Officer
Email: sheanne.mulholland@agescotland.org.uk

Colm McBriarty, Community Development Officer
Email: colm.mcbriarty@agescotland.org.uk

Ali Schofield, Resource & Administration Officer
Email: ali.schofield@agescotland.org.uk

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Our partnerships
Our aims
  • Discuss and debate existing evidence and learning, drawing out best practice and influencing policy makers so that it is embedded in policy and implemented.
  • Identify gaps in policy, practice and research and carry out work to address these gaps, seeking funding where necessary.
  • Highlight seemingly insurmountable challenges in policy and practice and propose solutions to these challenges.
  • Work alongside people with lived experience of dementia to influence policy makers, leaders and practitioners in Scotland to ensure policy meets the needs of people with dementia, their families and unpaid carers
  • Operate from the grassroots up, with influencing at a local level considered as important as influencing at a national level.

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